I have just read Dr Ijablas candid opinion on the NMA strike. I respectfully dissent. The patient is the most important person in the hospital. That is not in contention. I also agree that frequent strikes do not edify the the health sector. The different professions involved in health delivery should sit down and agree on a modus operandi we can all live and work with. Heading Hospitals: It is not true that heading a hospital is simply a matter of administration and management. A mistake in London is the fashion in Nigeria. It has been shown by recent studies in the United States that hospitals are better run by Doctors. How can a person who does not know what a gallipot is, who does not know the ABC of resuscitation, who has never heard of aseptic technique be made to head a hospital just because he/she is a manager or administrator? In what other field of human endeavor is an illiterate in a profession made to head an institution in that profession? Is it the Courts, the Banks or the Church? If a health professional is to head the hospital, it stands to reson that the leader of the health team should head the hospital because he/she will command the respect of other health professionals and stake holders. I have the highest regard for other professionals in the health sector but for Gods sake lets not trivialize the Doctor. The sheer depth of his/her knowledge and the scope and rigour of his/ her training makes it fitting for him/ her to lead the health team and earn the respect of the other professionals in the health team. He/she is the only health professional qualified by training and recognized by law to make a diagnosis. He/she is the one called to question by a Judge when a patient is wrongly managed. The only argument for a non health professional heading a hospital seems to be that it is the practice in London and some other places. Why not find out why before we swallow hook, line and sinker what is not suitable for us? Hospitals have been managed by non health professionals in Nigeria before and they made a very poor job of it. That is one of the reasons why Doctors took over the management of hospitals. Opportunity cost is key to management. How can a person make opportunity cost decisions that could mean life and death for a patient if that person is not grounded in practice? if it is to be a health professional, it should be the leader of the health team in practice and reality. Consultant: I am embarrassed by our obsession with titles. Ordnarily, referring to other professionals as consultants in the health team should not be a problem but for 2 reasons. 1) A consultant is an expert in a field of endeavor. If we agree that the patient is the heart and soul of health care, then who owns the patient? Who makes the diagnosis that determines the patients management, who is the final authority in the management of the patient? It follows that the health professional who is ultimately responsible for the management of the patient; the doctor should be the Consultant. 2) The typical African especially the Nigerian cannot reconcile leadership with service and humility. Leadership is seen as bullying and silly arrogant pride. I am not excusing the Doctor from this malady. If other health professionals are made consultants, they would want to assert authority and distort the patient management organogram resulting in confusion, chaos and dead patients. It is then that these so called consultants will chorus ask the Doctor and scurry into hiding disappearing into the wood work. Our people say that when jungle mature, every body go answer him Papa name. Hazard: It affects all health professionals and we should close ranks and fight for our cause. 60 Doctors across West Africa have died from the recent Ebola epidemic. The only Nigerian that has so far died from Ebola is a Nurse. The position of the Doctor as the Leader of the health team is unassailable but the other members of the team must be carried along. A Doctor cannot be the sole member of the health team. We as Leaders of the team are seen as Fathers of the health care family and should see to the well being of its members.
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 16:56:04 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015