The Nigerian healthcare delivery system is being hampered by rivalry among healthcare providers in the country, former House of Representatives chair on health, Dr Wale Okediran has said. He also said other healthcare providers have accused the federal government of unduly favouring medical doctors.
Dr Okediran was speaking in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, at the 30th induction ceremony for the University of Ilorin (Unilorin) medical school graduates.
The Registrar, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Dr Abdulmumuni Ibrahim presented by Dr Victor Gbenro conducted the induction ceremony for the 103 graduates.
The former president of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA), who was the guest lecturer, spoke on the topic: ‘Serving three masters; the interplay between medicine, literature and politics.’
The medical doctor turned politician added: “The health profession is teamwork; no profession is superior to other members of the health team. The superiority rivalry between health workers has negatively affected healthcare delivery in this country.
“In fact, the present health bill before the National Assembly has been passed on two separate occasions, but on each occasion whenever the president wants to assent to the bill protests will come from health workers saying that the doctors have been too favoured in the bill. The current bill with the president should have been assented to since but because of pressure from members of the health team.”
The Provost of UNILORIN College of Health Sciences, Prof Ayodele Omotoso described the current security challenges in the country as discouraging medical doctors in the diaspora.
“The recent security challenges, namely kidnappings and terrorism, discourage doctors in the diaspora from contributing their quota to national development,” he said.
“The 21st century doctor has to tackle with health problems that are both individual and universal. A quick glance at the Nigerian healthcare system immediately reveals some of its strengths and weaknesses. The challenges with the health sector may well be a vista to population-sized systemic effect.
“While the medical training indeed is adequate and comparable with global standards, nothing quite insulates the doctors in Nigeria from the Herculean task brought about by extraneous factors. It is a social situation to which we must all rise, putting all sufficiently trained hands on deck.
“Social factors may directly or indirectly impact negatively on the health of individuals and the populace. For example, poverty and ignorance affect access to and maximization of available healthcare services. Also, bad roads prevent quick access to the hospital and lack of power may cause otherwise avoidable delays with surgical procedures.”
