Doctor behaved disgracefully, council told

A KENYAN doctor behaved “disgracefully and dishonourably” in not fulfilling the terms of a prestigious scholarship worth €250,000, a medical council hearing was told.

Dr Irene Mwangi’s failure to take up a five-year posting at the Mater hospital in Nairobi amounted to an “absolute betrayal” and a breach of trust of the terms of the scholarship she received, a senior doctor told the hearing.

Consultant radiologist Dr Eamann Breatnach helped to set up the O’Halpin Linders scholarship programme which was inaugurated by businessman Joseph Linders in memory of his late wife Dr Dara O’Halpin to help doctors in the developing world improve their skills.

Dr Mwangi was the first recipient of the four-year scholarship and completed her fellowship in the summer of 2008.

Dr Breatnach said he felt Dr Mwangi had let down a great number of people when he found out in August 2008 that she had sent an e-mail to the Mater hospital in Nairobi saying she would not be taking up her posting. He said Dr Mwangi disappeared around that time and he and Mr Linders went to the Kenyan embassy to report her missing.

The second day of the hearing heard that Dr Mwangi, who is now based in San Diego and watched the proceedings by video link, had her accommodation paid for, extensive overseas travel and “everything she needed”, Dr Breatnach said. The hearing was adjourned.