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Tag: Doctors

  • Doctors blame ignorance for medical tourism

    Doctors blame ignorance for medical tourism

    Some Nigerians travel abroad for treatment out of ignorance, some doctors have said.

    According to them, people do so not because of lack of well-equipped medical centres or indigenous expertise.

    Led by Dr Austin Okogun, Chief Executive Officer of Lily Hospital in Warri, Delta State, they said many of the delicate cases that Nigerians go abroad for can be handled in the country.

    The medics explained what they are doing to convince Nigerians and other West Africans that many of the medical needs that have cost them so much in terms of travelling long distances to Asia, Middle East, Europe and the Americas are available at comparatively lower costs.

    The services, according to the professionals, are qualitative as they could be obtained from any of the ‘strong’ health nations. Lily Hospital, because of the huge investment into technology and engagement of internationally reputed medical partners, has been granted teaching hospitals’status, they added.

    The hospital has become a centre for house officers and family medicine residents training, accredited by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and the National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria.

    Its Consultant Urologist, Dr. Achour, an Egyptian said: “We are able to remove kidney stones, stones of the ureter and all kinds of urinary tract stones, and treat renal complications, to sanitise human kidneys, liver or gall bladder conditions using minimally invasive or non-invasive (cut-less) methods of treatment where patients can be discharged within, as prompt as 24 hours of the procedure, and they return to work within a shorter period than if traditional surgery is performed.

    He added: “We are getting encouraging feedbacks. A patient from Bayelsa State, who had gone for an operation in India was due for another one recently but he got it done right here (Lily Hospital, Warri), at just a fraction of what it would have cost him to return to India. He regretted going to India for the first treatment.’’

    The hospital’s Pediatrics unit once  treated a 26-week-old baby. He weighed 0.59kg and had spent 16 days in one of the incubators, supported by ventilators and CPAPs.

    The consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr. Louis Alekwe said: “Nursing a 0.59kg to survive is a classic record. It means people do not have to get scared and think of distances to travel to save extreme premature babies. There are solutions so near.”

    Alekwe added that the hospital  offers embryo freezing services, adding that a couple can come for IVF and that it has up to four fertilised embryos or eggs. You do not want to put all in the woman, so the experts put one or two in her to grow and be delivered as babies and keep the remaining two in the freezer, he added.

    “In two or three years if the couple  has need for more babies, the stored eggs are implanted into the woman and we nurse the pregnancy to delivery again. An embryo, for the period frozen, experiences arrested development.We have an ongoing case,” Okogun said.

    ‘’At the Orthopaedic unit,’’ Okogun said, ‘’patients get joints replacement, such as the hip joint, and spine surgery, including delicate cases having to do with the neck. The hips can be removed and artificial joints. The eye centre is equipped for laser surgery for people with glaucoma, and so is cataract and retinal treatment.’’

    On the hospital’s target, the CEO said: “We are trying to achieve a reversed medical tourism where, instead of people travelling out at huge cost to seek medical treatment, our operating environment should be the medical tourism destination in-country. Ultimately, we are reshaping the story of Warri. There is strong impression among outsiders that the place is volatile and nothing good can come out of it. In the long run, we are helping to build confidence in prospective investors in diverse sectors to come in and assist development of the state.”

     

  • Doctors give Fed Govt ultimatum to curb payroll fraud

    Doctors give Fed Govt ultimatum to curb payroll fraud

    The National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD), has urged the Federal Government to curb “payroll leakages” in its health facilities by enrolling doctors on IPPIS human resources platform on or before October 30.

    The doctors, among various demands, also urged the government to consider as a matter of urgency practical mechanism for financial bailouts of state tertiary health institutions.

    In a communique by NARD’s President, Dr. John Onyebueze; Secretary-General, Dr. Emmanuel Aneke and the Public Relations Officer, Dr. Ugoeze Asinobi, the doctors demanded immediate release and implementation of Residency Training Programme (RTP).

    NARD, in the 13-point document made available to The Nation yesterday, said any attempt to truncate full emoluments of its members would lead to “immediate total nationwide breakdown of cordial industrial relations”.

    The group lamented improper placements of doctors in various health facilities against the directives and circulars issued by the government.

    “The attempt by the OHS at stopping proper placement of doctors is intentional and geared towards personal gains from industrial disharmony their actions are generating”, NARD said.

    It said despite the failures of the hospitals’ heads to implement the directives and circulars, which resulted in industrial actions, the same heads showed double standard by hurriedly implementing ‘no work, no pay’, rule.

    The body, therefore, asked the government to call to order 12 heads of federal health facilities, whose actions were responsible for industrial disharmony to stop the situation from snowballing into chaos.

    NARD threw its weight behind its members currently on strike because of non-implementation of full salaries with lateral conversion and asked the aggrieved persons to be steadfast in pressing home their demands.

    It said: “Full remuneration of doctors including provision of funding of the RTP should be adequately captured and cash-backed in 2017 budget to avoid unnecessary industrial disharmony.

    “We once agains reject implementation of ‘no work, no pay’ policy in its entirety as our members are being punished for the ineptitude of the chief executives of their centres.

    “Federal Government should ensure the release of the template on House Officers’ entry point by October 30, 2016. All doctors should be properly placed and paid full salaries with lateral conversion for grade level and step”.

     

  • Doctors stage exhibition on information, personnel in health services

    The Federal Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria and the Guild of Medical Directors are holding an exhibition and conference to showcase  what is happening in the Nigerian health sector.

    The exhibition which will take place next Monday and end the following day, has its theme, “All things medical (ATM)’’.

    A renowned neurosurgeon and Chief Medical Director of the first private neurosurgical centre in Nigeria, Memphys, Prof Sam Ohaegbulam, said the exhibition was timely as information and statistics about what is available in Nigeria is the bedrock of a viable and functional healthcare system.

    “People keep asking, where can we do this or that in Nigeria? Or who can do this procedure or that operation in Nigeria? Then, they say, we did not know that this was available in Nigeria!’

    Unfortunately, he said, there were huge risks for the unwary in medical care in Nigeria as many people end up patronising dangerous establishments and charlatans simply because they have no clear knowledge of where the real doctors are.

    Citing an example, Ohaegbulem revealed that the Ogun State government had closed three hospitals in Ifo local government area after two pregnant women died which made the government to accuse the hospitals of lacking the competence to treat patients.

    According to the neurosurgeon, “there is the issue with medical tourism. Doctors have highlighted the dangers of going to places, such as India, South Africa, United Kingdom and Egypt for treatment. They “pointed out the problems of traveling to these countries without proper information about the doctors, their qualifications and experience. In effect, running to India is not the solution, especially if what you need is in Sokoto.”

    Also the Medical Director, Alliance Hospital, Abuja, Dr Chris Otabor, emphasised the need for more information about high quality healthcare personnel and facilities in Nigeria.

    “We need positive documentation of the good practices and an end to the bad practices. We have to help our health centres, government hospitals or even private hospitals to be the best they can be.

    He added that Nigeria needs a National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) that is effective so that all citizens can receive reasonable health care.

    Otabor stressed that with an effective national health Insurance, more revenue would be available to healthcare and hospitals would be better equipped to provide modern services.

    “Once we put our house, the need for medical missions, medical tourism, etc, would consequently diminish. Government has to harmonise the nation’s health sector by improving on facilities for research and training, and increased capacity to take care of all the emergencies and the challenges that we have in the country. From here the nation could further expand and upgrade to other areas.

    “Say stop to medical tourism. Join us to stop losing huge resources that is better applied to help our own development. We must encourage the development of our own local health care industry and the first step is ATM. Thereafter, we must put an end to medical tourism. Government should not sponsor anybody to go and get treatment abroad unless, of course, that treatment is what we cannot offer, “he added.

    A neurosurgeon with Spine Fixed in Abuja, Dr Biodun Ogungbo,  identified many specialist hospitals which provide specialist care in Nigeria.

    For instance, he said, “here in Abuja, there are a few hospitals you should know about. Zenith Kidney Centre does just that: looks after your kidneys and performs dialysis/kidney transplants as you may require. Kelina Hospital in Gwarinpa is a foremost urology centre in Abuja with state of the art. Similarly, Chivar Hospital is also well equipped with highly trained personnel and equipment for your prostate troubles’’.

    According to him, people who have infertility issues can be rest assured at Nordica Fertility clinic and Bridge Clinic who have helped thousands of women complete their families.

    “Specialist gynaecological centres such as Nisa Premier Hospital, Abuja, Southshore Womens’ Clinic in Lagos and King’s Care Hospital in Abuja provide great care and sort out women’s troubles. Eye problems are the focus of Eye Foundation and Florida Eye Clinic. You see?”

  • Sultan to Doctors: Embrace dialogue not strike

    Sultan to Doctors: Embrace dialogue not strike

    The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar has urged doctors to embrace dialogue and  avoid going on industrial actions if their demands are not quickly met when negotiating with government.

    Abubakar said patients interest should be paramount to doctors whenever they are in negotiations with the government.
    He said this yesterday in Lagos at the 34th convocation of 340 Fellows of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria,Ijanikin,Lagos state.

    The Sultan,honoured with an Honorary fellow  from the college, said the country is not yet free of polio as three new cases have been recorded and all hands must be on deck to finally rid the country of polio.

    He said there are  good doctors in the country that could meet up the health demands of Nigerians instead of medical tourism abroad, but to make it excellent, they need good  leadership.

    The guest speaker and the group medical director of the Catholic Eye hospital group,Dr Benedictus Ajayi asserted that strikes embarked upon by resident doctors have various dire consequences from which most teaching hospitals are yet to recover.

    Ajayi said:”Many patients had died,some incapacitated,equipment damaged from disuse and sadly training programmes have been disrupted due to various industrial actions by doctors”.

    “To abandon one’s patients for any reason is tantamount to lack of compassion,lack of feelings, denigration of the human being, loss of humanity knowing the complications that would arise from non treatment or inadequate treatment and damning the consequences”,he affirms.

    He said lobbying the right persons with quality medical services will go a long way in resolving most of the demands of the striking doctors instead of resolving to industrial actions.

    Ajayi,who is heading five hospitals under the group, also enjoin doctors to check their attitudes as that is what will differentiate a successful doctor from the rest.

    In the same vein,the college president, Prof. Ademola Olaitan said dialogue should be used by doctors as industrial actions have been overused to the detriment of all.

    Olaitan  said  postgraduate medical and dental education in the country is passing through a turbulent period,as despite the low funding,frequent work stoppages in various teaching hospitals does not allow for trainees fulfilment of the  prescribed minimum period of clinical placements and rotations that qualifies them for examinations.

    “High investments on medical education by government will yield high quality of patients care and top among the investments will be government resuscitation and funding of the one-year abroad that expose post Part 1 residents to practices in the developed world”, he added.

    He said though there have been comments and reactions on the issue of relevance or otherwise of clinical teachers possessing the Ph.D to teach or to progress in the University system,the college reiterates that Fellowship is the highest qualification needed in the practice and training of medical doctors and specialists in the health system as obtains globally.

  • Ekiti federal hospital doctors begin strike

    Doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti (FETHI) will today commence a three-day warning strike.

    This follows the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum issued to management.

    The doctors under the auspices of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) accused the hospital management of paying half salaries

    Chairman, FETHI Branch of MDCAN, Dr. Timothy Olajide, said the warning strike became the available option.

    Olajide said the decision to commence on a warning strike after which another ultimatum will be issued to redeem the demands or face indefinite strike, was taken at their meeting of August 4.

    The MDCAN boss said part of the resolutions reached was that his members would no longer tolerate the offering of salary due for resident doctors to them, as senior officials of the hospital.

    “The doctors also demanded immediate payment of the shortfall in the salary of members for the month of July, 2016.

    “That we regret  any inconvenience this inevitable action may cause our patients”, he said.

  • UUTH doctors begin strike over unpaid salaries

    Resident doctors at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) in Akwa Ibom State have begun an indefinite strike over unpaid salaries.

    Addressing reporters in Uyo, the state capital, UUTH’s President of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) Dr. Christian Adeneye said the doctors were demanding, among other things, the payment of their full salaries from July.

    Adeneye said UUTH was one of the three national hospitals, which refused to implement the rightful entry point and arrears accrued from same to House Officers, as directed by the Federal Ministry of Health.

    The union leader condemned ‘’the unfair denial’’ of terminal salaries to six House Officers in June, compelling them to work without pay, despite the association’s plea on July 18.

    He said: “It is grossly displeasing to the association that relatively arrears of January 2015, which was disbursed by the Federal Government to beneficiaries, are yet to be paid by our institution till date.

    “The association has observed with suspicion the inconsistent remittance of pension contributions of members and counterpart funding by the Federal Government to our pension fund administrators (PFAs).

    “We note with chagrin the marked disparity in taxation of members on IPPIS and GIFMIS platforms, plunging our members on GIFMIS platform into paying taxes twice above those on IPPIS platform. This is further corroded by the inability of our members to access their tax clearance.

    “Congress also frowns at the persistent neglect, lack of maintenance, failure to provide power and water to House Officers’ quarters, which has engendered difficult habitation, thereby hampering the efficiency in service delivery in the hospital.”

  • Doctors’ strike

    Doctors’ strike

    •Federal Govt should honour agreement reached with them or, …

    If we may ask, why are our national health care services plagued by so many industrial disputes? It is always that either the doctors, or the nurses, or another arm of the health care providers, is threatening to go on strike, or has gone on strike. Even within the doctors’ rank, there are different groups. This is not good enough. A few days ago, the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) embarked on a nationwide strike, to force the Federal Government to fulfil an agreement allegedly reached with the association.

    According to the NARD President, Dr Muhammad Askira, the notice of the strike was designed to: “press home our demand for implementation, in one hand, and also to enable the government enough time to expedite action in arrears not adequately addressed”. He further said that: “NARD still believes that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari will honour all signed agreements as aptly captured during the meeting with the NMA.” So why has the Federal Government not performed on the agreement allegedly reached with NARD?

    If our memory serves us well, we know that once the doctors’ demand for enhanced welfare package is met, another group in the sector will use that as a reference to make its own demands. While we have no quarrel with workers asking for better pay packages, we have cause to worry when over and over again, such wage disputes disrupt our national health services. Of note, the association claims the Federal Government is failing to keep its promise despite earlier assurances by the President.

    Before the doctors embarked on the strike, the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, reportedly assured Nigerians that the Federal Government was doing all it could to avert the strike. With the strike commencing, is it that the Federal Government was unable to live up to the agreement referred to by the NARD President; or is it that the doctors were making unreasonable demands? Or is it a case of tardiness on the part of government?

    It would be unfair to deny the common man the relatively cheaper services that come from the public hospitals, especially now that disposable income is increasingly depreciating. We urge the Federal Government and the striking doctors to realise that the current dispute is adding more hardship to a table overflowing with non-payment of salaries, chaotic public transport system, inadequate urban housing and several other social challenges faced by the urban poor.

    Perhaps as part of its change agenda, the Federal Government could commission a comprehensive national wage and benefit chart for all sectors of the economy, so that the perennial challenges of adhoc contest for wages and remuneration by different segments of the labour force would be eliminated. It would be less acrimonious if even before proceeding to study a course, one is apprised of the likely benefits that would come from it. Also, a national statistical planning would help the country project the future demands in every sector, the supply chain and the economic capacity needed to sustain it. Such a plan is important.

    We also feel that while the doctors are entitled to demand for enhanced welfare package, the perennial resort to strike does not speak well of them, as essential service providers, sworn on the famous Hippocratic oath. With the strike, Nigerians who cannot afford the costly services of the private health care givers are left to suffer and probably die.

    We urge the Federal Government and the striking doctors to resolve their dispute, in the overall interest of our common humanity. If there was an agreement between the government and the doctors, this should be implemented. And if there are reasons why this cannot be, the government and the doctors should come together to iron out the grey areas. Until that is done, however, pacts remain binding.

  • Doctors canvass end to smoking

    The Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN) and the Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria (SOFPON) have said tobacco smoking pose a danger to health. They are seeking ways to stop smoking in Nigeria.

    AGPMPN’s Lagos State chairman Dr. Adeyeye Arigbabuwo said tobacco smoking has done more harm than good to the people.

    He spoke at a joint outing of AGPMPN/SOFPON at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) in Ikeja, Lagos to mark the World Family Doctors’ Day.

    The theme was: Smoking Cessation.

    He said children were not spared the agonising pains of the consequences of smoking, adding that millions of people die yearly from premature deaths traceable to tobacco consumption.

    For him, smoking affects people’s health, economy, social and environment, as well as spiritual life.

    He described the family physician as the most appropriate ‘goal keeper’ for most ailments needing orthodox care.

    Arigbabuwo charged private doctors to be prepared at all times because they are not sure of the status and types of patients that would walk into their facilities for treatment.

    He said smoking may be the right and choice of some individuals, but free air is the right of everybody.

    Tobacco smoking, he said, has been observed to thrive in low and medium income countries.

    “The consequences of tobacco smoking have been observed to pose some bills too heavy for these underdeveloped nations to handle,” he said.

    He said about 124 countries had been identified to cultivate tobacco on large hectares of land, adding that advanced countries take advantage of the production benefits as well as the largescale market and price dictation. But the poor farmers who borrow funds to cultivate end up with huge losses, he said.

    He identified primary and secondary smokers, saying the former takes a willful decision to smoke by polluting the latter. This, he said, makes the air unsafe air because of the environmental pollution from the primary smoker.

    Nigeria has joined the group of heavy smokers. The male population outnumbers the female population on a global index. About 30% of the male population the world over has been reported to engage in tobacco smoking.  The female population is about 10 percent.

    India and China have been long known to have good numerical world subscribers to tobacco smoking. Even research on children has confirmed good number of children with anticipatory consent to join the “Smokers Club” when they grow up.

    He said there was need for advocacy to reduce tobacco related cancer cases, stressing that Nigeria should fight against the premature deaths of its productive population because “youths take pleasure in tobacco smoking”.

    The chairman, Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria (SOFPON), Lagos zone, Dr Blessing Chukwukelu said cigarette smoking is an unhealthy and lethal habit.

    According to her, a persistent smoking habit greatly increases the risk of premature death.

    Moreover, it has been recognised as a risk factor for many non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, chronic obstructive airway disease, lung cancer and other cancers.

    Tobacco smoking, she said, accounts for 80 percent of lung cancer deaths in men and 50 percent in women across the world.

    She said there was a linear relationship between duration and heaviness of smoking and its negative impact on somebody’s health.

    “The development of nicotine dependence and smoking habit is linked to social influence from family and friends. Children who are exposed to smoking at home are more likely to experiment with it,” she said.

    Mrs Chukwukelu said similar smoking patterns among family members can be explained through shared genes, adding: “The initiation, maintenance and cessation of smoking are strongly influenced by family members.

    The family doctor said there is increasing concern for the health risk of second hand smoke.

    Smoking cessation, she said was an important behavior change, which can have considerable effect on health outcomes.

    She advocated family intervention, saying it has become a standard part of most substance abuse programmes. “So, support involving cooperative behavior and reinforcement by family members predict successful quitting,” Mrs Chukwukelu said.

  • Tambuwal seeks more doctors, teachers as corps members

    To bridge the gap created by inadequate teachers and medical doctors in the state, Sokoto State government has requested for engagement of more youth corps members with specialisation in medicine as well as teachers of Mathematics and English Language to be posted for national service.

    Governor Aminu Tambuwal The made this request when the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Brig. General Sule Zakari, visited him in sokoto.

    The governor said with his administration’s emphasis on health and education, the need for more manpower is imperative towards complementing government’s efforts.

    “We need more doctors and teachers of mathematics and English language. We have a shortfall in those areas. Even though we will boost our manpower by employing more hands, the posting of the youth corps members will complement our efforts in that regard,” Tambuwal said.

    According to Tambuwal, government will repair all lodges used by youth corps members in all parts of the state, adding that a review of their allowances has already been approved.

    “We take the security and welfare of youth corps members seriously,” he added.

    Earlier in his remarks, Zakari said he was touring all NYSC camps to assess their readiness for the ongoing camping exercise taking place nationwide.

    He thanked the Sokoto government for prioritising the issue of youth corps members, saying it has boosted the morale of the youths and officials managing their affairs.

     

  • FRSC report on Ekiti doctors

    SIR: It is no longer news that medical doctors nationwide are currently mourning their heroes who lost their lives on Sunday, April 24 on their way to the just concluded Annual Delegates Meeting/Annual General Meeting in Sokoto. What is news is that officials of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) want to use the opportunity to advertise their speed limiting devices hence their report that over-speeding caused the tyre of the vehicle conveying the doctors to burst.

    The survivors of the accident have since raised important issues in their respective rebuttals of the FRSC report concerning the cause of the fatal accident. First, that the officials of FRSC arrived more than 40 minutes after the accident occurred and so the five victims who could have been saved died before FRSC officials arrived at the scene. The implication is either that the FRSC officials did not know the meaning of Golden hour in trauma management or they were not at their duty post at the time of the accident. Second, the officials who arrived at the scene albeit belatedly were oblivious of the happenings in the area just as they were also ill-prepared for any emergency. This is evidenced by the fact that they carried the victims to a hospital, Doka General Hospital where nothing was in place to manage accident victims.

    Equally important is that officials of the FRSC also did not have enough fuel in their fuel tank. When one of the survivors accepted to buy fuel for them, they went in search of fuel but when they finally bought it, the golden hour needed for the remaining two critically injured victims had passed. Thus, on getting to St Gerard hospital Kaduna, two of the victims were confirmed dead. The two could have survived had FRSC officials come prepared with enough fuel in their vehicle.

    This last point is very important because I am aware that there is budgetary allocation for FRSC operations. The question is who feeds on the money meant for the fuelling of FRSC vehicles? Who are the cabals managing the FRSC budgetary allocation for fuelling their vehicles?

    When James Ocholi, Minister of State for Labour and Employment and some members of his family died in similar circumstance, FRSC officials gave Nigerians the same reason of over-speeding as the cause of the burst tyre. Does it then mean that every accident that happens along the Abuja-Kaduna road is due to over-speeding? Could it not also be as a result of the deplorable state of the road?

    More worrisome is the fact that FRSC officials who arrived more than 40 minutes later claim to know more facts about the accident than the survivors and other eyewitnesses. I ask again, how can this be?

    Recall that the same FRSC that told Nigerians that Ocholi’s driver had no driving licence as if drivers undergo any special training before obtaining the licence. What role would such a licence have played to make Ocholi’s driver more responsible or even professional on the road? If it were in developed countries FRSC officials would be sweating to defend their incompetence and ineptitude in handling the case of the Ekiti State NMA delegates but here they are attacking the bereaved and the deceased with their fallacies.

    It is like in Nigeria, there are few sentences one must learn in order to work in a particular institution. In the police, one must learn to say, we are on top of the situation, even when one is as confused as other citizens out there. In the FRSC, one must learn to relate all road traffic accidents to over-speeding even if the state of the roads is so poor that a speed of more than 10km/h is practically impossible.

     

    • Dr Paul John,

    Port Harcourt, Rivers State.