Authorisation to practice

I referred to the need to do paper work at the police station before, and just a quick note on that. We had sent an application for authorisation to work as doctors here back in November. Unfortunately, it was never submitted. When Mark and I realised this, we became quite anxious, as may be imagined. We really did not want to be working in any way “illegally” here. And although it might be vaguely appropriate to just go to Khorixas and get stuck in, and worry about the paperwork afterwards, that didn’t appeal to us.

We also started thinking about our return to Canada and the UK: we will need certificates of good standing from Namibia to show them! So we had to figure it out. It involved a lot of taxi rides hither and thither:

the Ministry of Health and Social Services: 3 visits

The Medical and Dental council: 2 visits

(witnessing robbery: once)

The police station: queueing 5 times on 2 different days in the sun

(discovered that Namibians line up with discipline and compassion: pregnant women, seniors and people with disabilities don’t have to line up.)

Phone calls: countless

Faxes: 2

Completed replies, in writing, that Mark and I have submitted applications for authorisations to work and that this is sufficient to start work : 1 (and there was much rejoicing!!