Weather aside, Dr. Micheal Oveuni is enjoying his introduction to Estevan.
The Nigerian-trained physician began work in the Energy City on Monday at the Estevan Medical Group clinic across from St. Joseph's Hospital.
"I was jokingly telling them today that if I knew it was this cold I would have reconsidered," Oveuni. "I am happy to be here and I think I am going to be working with very co-operative, supportive and hospitable people. They have helped me set up nicely and I am good to go. I am excited and I hope I enjoy the experience."
Oveuni, a general practitioner who also had surgical training, entered the Saskatchewan International Physician Practice Assessment in May and spent three months in Yorkton prior to arriving in Estevan.
Greg Hoffort, executive director of St. Joseph's Hospital, said Oveuni's arrival in Estevan provides the community with another much-needed family physician and gives the city nine doctors overall. He added that Oveuni will also undertake the necessary review process with a view to seeking surgical privileges in the health region.
"We have a growing community and are in need of extra physicians so the arrival of Dr. Oveuni definitely helps in many regards," said Hoffort. "It helps with the patients seeking to come to the office. It helps with our ER at the hospital which gets overtaxed when we are short of doctors so we are quite excited."
Hoffort added that a bonus of Oveuni's arrival in Estevan is that his wife, Constance, is also a general practitioner and will be looking to undertake the Saskatchewan College of Medicine review process later this year.
"We didn't learn about that until he came for his site visit. We are working with her to see what we can do to get her into the assessment process as soon as possible."
While having nine physicians is workable for the local medical system, Hoffort said they remain focused on adding more. They have another doctor about to enter the SIPPA program this week and assuming all goes well she would begin work in the spring.
"A year ago we were at three to four (physicians) and that was just overwhelming for everyone involved. From a physicians perspective, from them being on call far too often the emergency room was busting at the seams. We would like to add a couple more to make it a more palatable situation for everyone."
Another focus for Hoffort and the South East Health Committee has been finding a new OBGYN for Estevan and they are continuing to move closer to filling that void. Dr. Idris Yekinni is currently going through the immigration process and they are hopeful that will be sorted out in the next couple of weeks and he can begin work in February.
"It leaves us with a tremendous gap with not having a gynecological specialist in town. Obviously there is a demand for that."
Hoffort added the recruitment of Oveuni was the result of a collaborative effort of St. Joe's, the South East Health Committee and Sun Country Health Region.
