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Tag: medical practitioners

  • Expert urges medical practitioners on ethics

    The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has charged medical practitioners to adhere to professional ethics to save lives.

    Head, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi, Prof Calvin Chama gave the advice at the NMA Bauchi State chapter Annual General Meeting (AGM).

    Chama, who presented a paper with the theme, “Knowing your limit as a doctor”, emphasised that it is only by so doing that patients will have the confidence to patronise the health facility.

    Chama, who pointed out that doctors also need to know their rights in the performance of their duties, stressed that one should not override  other’s rights because the rights of patients and doctors are interwoven.

    The consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist said it is when a doctor could not differentiate between the two rights that conflict occur, which may lead to dire consequences.

    He stresed the need for medical doctors to put their patients first.

    In his opening remarks, ATBUTH Chief Medical Director Dr. Mohammed Alkali urged members of the association to live above board.

    According to him, the patient has the confidence that the moment he gets to the health facility, issues will be treated positively.

    Alkali added that when such confidence is betrayed, the patient will be  discouraged from seeking medical attention.

    He said health practitioners should synergise to promote efficiency.

    Bauchi State NMA Chairman Dr Lamara Dattijo said the AGM was aimed at awakening members on the need to be professional in their calls to save lives, adding that the chapter will take a cue from older professionals who had excellent records in practice.

  • Medical practitioners seek liberal abortion law 

    The Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON) has called for the liberalisation of restrictive abortion laws to enable women access appropriate healthcare.

    President of the Society Prof. Oluwarotimi Akinola, who addressed reporters in Calabar, Cross River State, after their 52nd Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference, said evidence all over the world has shown that the number of abortions do not increase due to the liberalisation of the law.

    Akinola lamented that 120 women die daily from pregnancy related complications.

    He said: “If 120 people die in plane crashes every day, the government would ground the affected airline. But because the incidences are all isolated, the attention is not there and we think it is not right. Every effort should be geared to saving these women because we believe women should not die while trying to give life.”

    The president said the present Abortion Law, passed around 1931 in England and reviewed on a regular basis, is still what operates in Nigeria.

    “The last tinkering was probably in 1968. The Abortion Law in Nigeria simply says that it is illegal to procure abortion except in very strict condition to save maternal life, and that law forces our women because what they say is that when a woman is convinced that the pregnancy she is carrying cannot continue, there is almost nothing you can do. She would do that and procure abortion whether you offer it safely or not. All we are saying is that when there is a need to procure abortion, please let it be done safely.

    “The whole world has shown that even when you say abortion law is liberal, it has not increased the number of people who go for abortion. It has been demonstrated all over the world that liberalisation of the law does not lead to a greater uptake of abortion such that we now define abortion as safe and unsafe.

    “An unsafe abortion is when it is done in an environment that is not proper, done by somebody who is not skilled and not using appropriate technology, and it is a major contributor to maternal mortality ratio in Nigeria.”

    He appealed to reporters to make policy makers aware that there is indeed a need to save these women from dying.

    Akinola also identified cervical cancer as another scourge facing women in the country.

    He said: “What we have discovered is that when our women do not die from pregnancy-related issues; when they survive to the age of 38 and above, we condemn them to die from cervical cancer. We also lose 10 to 30 women daily to cervical cancer in this country. It is a very debilitating disease. It is a major issue and more should be done by the government and the press to help address these issues.

    “Technology is devising ways to make it possible. We now know there is one of the things we did at this conference, we have the technology now in future to avoid cervical cancer because if you vaccinate a young woman, she is not likely to develop cervical cancer. That is proven and that is why we are committed also to eradicating cervical cancer from this country. We are talking to the press, the government, women groups and NGOs. We intend to upscale our efforts at building these collaborations,” he added.

    Akinola hinted that SOGON provided free treatment to over 400 women with health challenges at two different communities, as well as free cervical cancer screening for over 300 women.

    Among resolutions adopted at the meeting was the need for partnerships and strengthening systems to reduce maternal mortality in the country.

     

  • Don makes case for new urinalysis technology

    Don makes case for new urinalysis technology

    Medical practitioners have been urged to adopt the new technology for urinalysis.

    Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIRM) Director-General, Prof. Babatunde Salako, made the call during the launch of the United Nations Series-the modular way of urinalysis at the National Sickle Cell Centre, Idi Araba, Lagos.

    The event had as theme Bridging the gap between patient care and quality diagnosis using medical technology in the laboratory.

    Salako, who was the keynote speaker, said embracing the urinalysis would reduce errors and improve accuracy.

    “You now have at your disposal a calibrated automated machine that can carry out urinalysis that would drastically reduce human error, Salako, said.

    “These machines are capable of taking care of virtually everything concerned with urinary test and on the long run; the laboratory technicians would see other numerous uses of the machine.”

    He added that the UN-series–Modula way of urinalysis is automated.

    On how to rule out any error in the machine, Salako said: “There is the need to be certain that the range of normal that has been made for the machine by manufacturers also applies to us in Nigeria, so that the machine will not say what is normal for other countries is too high or low for us.

    “We need to be sure that the range is accurate because they are being calibrated based on the country where it is produced,” he added.

    Also, Managing Director, Gem Investment Limited, Chief Damian Onyekachi, said the UN-series style of carrying out urinalysis came at the right time.

    ‘’They have been using it in Europe and I believe that if we are able to establish that in Nigeria it would go a long way to help our nurses to improve patient care as well.

    “We are still working it out because this is just a launch, but by the time we get to the table, we will work on what should be and what should not be in each category. So, if you have a smaller laboratory, you go for a smaller one, if it is a teaching hospital you go for the big one that would handle like hundred tests per day.”

     

  • Lassa fever: Remain alert, FCT minister charges health workers

    Lassa fever: Remain alert, FCT minister charges health workers

    FCT Minister Muhammad Bello has charged medical and health workers to remain on red alert to nip in the bud any suspected case of Lassa fever.

    Bello gave the directive in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Minister, Mr Hamzat Sule, on Wednesday in Abuja.

    The statement said that the directive was a follow up to earlier tips on how to prevent the spread of the disease.

    It recalled that the lone case in the territory was that of a man on transit.

    “But the FCT Administration will not leave anything to chance on the lives and well-being of all the residents and visitors, as this is paramount to this administration.’’

    The minister, therefore, directed the FCT Disease Control and Disease Surveillance Department to endeavour to be on top of any eventuality that might arise.

    The statement said that he also instructed the Notification Officers in all the six area councils to be on high alert by stepping up disease surveillance activities within their various localities, especially at the border communities.

    He emphasised that all the nooks and crannies of the 8,000 sq. kms. of the territory must be well policed, to deal with any case at a very short notice.

    “The Heads of Health Departments in the area councils are equally directed to further step up sensitisation activities in the communities – markets, motor parks, churches and mosques,” the statement added.

    Bello further urged the health workers to be proactive in their approach in order to avoid the unfortunate incident that led to the death of the transit victim.

    The statement said that the minister also adviced residents of the territory to imbibe the habit of a clean environment, to ward off all rodents from their houses.

    “Hygienic practices will go a long way in curbing not only Lassa fever but also other diseases associated with dirty environment,” the statement said

     

  • Afe Babalola tasks medical practitioners on disease control

    Afe Babalola tasks medical practitioners on disease control

    •ABUAD hosts veterinary council conference

    Founder and Chancellor of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), has advocated a sustainable synergy between animal and human medical practitioners to minimise the spread of diseases in the country.

    He spoke during a two-day seminar for veterinary doctors and laboratory technologists held at ABUAD which drew participants from all over the country.

    Babalola advised those dealing in the raring of live animals across the country to always patronise veterinary doctors in the course of their business.

    The ABUAD founder noted that neglect of veterinary services could lead to bankruptcy and immense loss, especially for those in the practice of animal husbandry on a large scale.

    At the meeting, the Veterinary Council of Nigeria (VCN) urged governments at all levels to prioritise animal health in their policies in order to ensure a holistic health programme for the country.

    Speaking through its National President,Prof Garba Sharubutu, the council said the neglect or lukewarm attitude towards animal health could spell doom for the nation’s health sector noting that a well driven animals health service is  required to ensure drastic reduction of diseases and sicknesses in the Nigeria  society.

    Sharubutu said the seminar was intended to broaden and update the knowledge of veterinary practitioners drawn from across the country on contemporary issues in veterinary practice.

    He expressed hope that the seminar would boost animals health services delivery in the country if its imports are put to use by government and practitioners