Perhaps one of the ills plaguing this country include her teaming numbers of quack doctors. I lost a pregnant relative just last year because the doctor misdiagnosize and administered wrong treatment to her.

Last Friday my daughter started showing symptoms of malaria and we decided to take her to a popular specialist hospital located in Ikeja. The doctor on duty without thinking twice heard my wife's complain and gave our girl malaria treatment. On sunday, we noticed fatigue, lost of appetite, extremely high temperature, difficult breathing and running nose. Over sunday/monday night she couldn't sleep and kept vomiting all her mother was able to give her (including breast milk).

Today (Monday), we took her to the same hospital and was attended to by the same doctor who recommended a dosage of quinine and paracetamol but has my wife was leaving the hospital, she felt led to speak with the pediatrician who was just strolling into the hospital to resume duties. She re-examined our 10month kid and concluded she is with pneumonia and the thing was in advance stage. The girl was immediately placed under admission for critical treatment. If not for God, that quack doctor would have given my family another story to tell.

What is it about quack doctors in Nigeria (I have had friends report their adventure with many, one was even consulting textbook right in front of an acquitance ) is it that our medical schools are producing bad ones or medical students are no longer paying close attention to their lessons?

Its a terrible situation we have in our hands in this country
Let me not bore you with real life issues I have witnessed with these quacks.
Very soon even colleges of education will start awarding MBBS.
Thank God for God onbehalf of your baby.

Odunnu: Its a terrible situation we have in our hands in this country
Let me not bore you with real life issues I have witnessed with these quacks.
Very soon even colleges of education will start awarding MBBS.
Thank God for God onbehalf of your baby.

Thanks Sis. I was at the hospital later yesterday and almost wept seeing my daughter so weak but graciously responding to treatment. I wish for seconds I can take that quack to Aluu for serious punishment.I no blame Jonathan and his cohorts for travelling out each time they have sore throat.

if u hear my experience as a quack nairalander ehnnnnnnn

Hehehehehehe! Oga abeg, ali abi aluu scares me o.
I once had such symptoms only God knew d drugs dey administered to me. When d professional (senior) doctor came in, a prof, he asked d 'small' doctor whether he carried out tests on me b4 d treatment, d later responded. A fight almost broke out. I begged wit d drip on my hand. It's too bad. Nobody in our institution is interested in reading again. Gone were d dayz doctors r respected.

A doctor nearly performed operation for appendix on my friend who had typhoid, the doctor said it was appendix but thank God the nurse was quick to intervene. If the nurse had not told me not to sign the papers, my friend would have been in the grave by now. This is not good for our country with the fact that the price of the sacred commodity is still high... How do we now feed people in case of a mishap....

GOD FORBID

Terrible!

OMG!!! did you just say sore troath LMAO.

superior1: Perhaps one of the ills plaguing this country include her teaming numbers of quack doctors. I lost a pregnant relative just last year because the doctor misdiagnosize and administered wrong treatment to her.

Last Friday my daughter started showing symptoms of malaria and we decided to take her to a popular specialist hospital located in Ikeja. The doctor on duty without thinking twice heard my wife's complain and gave our girl malaria treatment. On sunday, we noticed fatigue, lost of appetite, extremely high temperature, difficult breathing and running nose. Over sunday/monday night she couldn't sleep and kept vomiting all her mother was able to give her (including breast milk).

Today (Monday), we took her to the same hospital and was attended to by the same doctor who recommended a dosage of quinine and paracetamol but has my wife was leaving the hospital, she felt led to speak with the pediatrician who was just strolling into the hospital to resume duties. She re-examined our 10month kid and concluded she is with pneumonia and the thing was in advance stage. The girl was immediately placed under admission for critical treatment. If not for God, that quack doctor would have given my family another story to tell.

What is it about quack doctors in Nigeria (I have had friends report their adventure with many, one was even consulting textbook right in front of an acquitance ) is it that our medical schools are producing bad ones or medical students are no longer paying close attention to their lessons?

sorry about your baby and I hope she is getting better. Well, I do not know how old your baby is nor the pattern of her symptoms especially the fever. Nevertheless, you may have judged that doctor too rashly. The symptoms you have mentioned cut across malaria and penumonia. In fact, pneumonia is a close differential diagnosis of malaria in the pediatric age group. Besides, at your first presentation, there was neither cough nor breathlessness and the doctor was right in his diagnosis based on the facts he had.

I myself trained at the University of Nigeria--MBBS is far from easy to come by around here. In clinical practice, making the right diagnosis is not nearly so easy--in an ideal setting, one should have a side-lab where a full blood count and blood smear for malaria parasite would have been done, or else a rapid diagnostic test for malaria, with or without a chest xray. That would have made the right diagnosis obvious, but in our setting, the doctor is faced with peculiar challenges that stymie even the best brains.

I understand your aggression at the doctor--it's your child that's in focus, but at the same time, doctors are not magicians. We work with facts, that is why we ask a lot of questions because the answers to those questions will either support one diagnosis or refute another.

PS--about the doctor who was consulting with a text, there is absolutely nothing wrong in that. I myself consult with my tablet. Medicine is so broad and so diverse that it takes several years to have a working knowledge of all its different aspects. Besides, would you rather the doctor prescribes 500mg of Amiodarone for instance--only to find out laater that he had overdosed you. In matters regarding health, it is safe to make assurance doubly-sure.

Typical...Because a doctor missed the diagnosis,all medical schools/doctors in Nigeria should be thrashed.I wonder where the pediatrician that eventually got the diagnosis right trained?Probably in the US where they never make mistakes right?
I'm not holding fort for the doctor that got it wrong,mistakes happen in medicine just like any other profession,sad to say but it's the truth.All I'm saying is that don't imply/say that all doctors in Nigeria are quacks because of one person's error.

@ op

telling us the name of that hospital would be better

to save the lives of others patronizing that same hospital!

It would be nice to provide the hospital name!

superior1: Perhaps one of the ills plaguing this country include her teaming numbers of quack doctors. I lost a pregnant relative just last year because the doctor misdiagnosize and administered wrong treatment to her.

Last Friday my daughter started showing symptoms of malaria and we decided to take her to a popular specialist hospital located in Ikeja. The doctor on duty without thinking twice heard my wife's complain and gave our girl malaria treatment. On sunday, we noticed fatigue, lost of appetite, extremely high temperature, difficult breathing and running nose. Over sunday/monday night she couldn't sleep and kept vomiting all her mother was able to give her (including breast milk).

Today (Monday), we took her to the same hospital and was attended to by the same doctor who recommended a dosage of quinine and paracetamol but has my wife was leaving the hospital, she felt led to speak with the pediatrician who was just strolling into the hospital to resume duties. She re-examined our 10month kid and concluded she is with pneumonia and the thing was in advance stage. The girl was immediately placed under admission for critical treatment. If not for God, that quack doctor would have given my family another story to tell.

What is it about quack doctors in Nigeria (I have had friends report their adventure with many, one was even consulting textbook right in front of an acquittance ) is it that our medical schools are producing bad ones or medical students are no longer paying close attention to their lessons?

The worst is even when u tend to doubt them and ask for more clarifications on your case they will get very impatient with you.

That doc was definitely a quack. Another statement that caught my eye in ur article is the fact that you also have the impression that doctors who consult textbooks in front of their patients must be inefficient. That mentality of yours is so not right. Maybe if dat ur quack doctor had picked up a text book, he would have suspected a pneumonia as the likely diagnosis for ur daughter.

I practice in the U.S and here being a good doctor is not only about what u can cram( like we were trained in Nigeria med schools) but also about how to get info when you're not sure. I look up info sometimes on my phone or iPad in presence of patients. Med info changes daily here. New treatments recommendations, new drug interactions, uncommon symptomatic presentation, surgical techniques, medication prices, insurance coverage info etc. The list is endless on what info u can look up on online med resources like uptodate, emedicine etc.

M also a med stdnt in cotonou ,u cnt always b perfect especially wen still in ur clinicals bt as tym go by ,u ll b perfct bt since dese once r already practicing is a bad signal to d populace ,I nw see reason why uk is rejecting our med studnts

THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM HAS LONG DECAYED,I CAN BET MY NL POSITION THAT OUT OF 1,000,000 PEOPLE IN NL ONLY 20 FINISHED SCHOOL WITHOUT EXPO, SORTING OR MALPRACTICE FOR ONE DAY(I ONLY DID SMALL GIRAFFE NECK ) S WITH ALL THIS THRASH WHAT DO U EXPECT. YOU SEE BIG MEN'S CHILDREN THAT ARE BELOW AVERAGE OR 0.0 IQ READING MEDICINE BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS PAID FOR ADMISSION WHILE POOR CHILDREN THAT ARE GENIUS ARE SENT TO READ ANIMAL FARM IN ALVAN . IF YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT DOCTORS WHAT ABOUT THOSE QUARK LAB SCIENTIST EVERYWHERE.THANK GOD FOR UR DAUGHTER.GOD HELP US.

passion007: sorry about your baby and I hope she is getting better. Well, I do not know how old your baby is nor the pattern of her symptoms especially the fever. Nevertheless, you may have judged that doctor too rashly. The symptoms you have mentioned cut across malaria and penumonia. In fact, pneumonia is a close differential diagnosis of malaria in the pediatric age group. Besides, at your first presentation, there was neither cough nor breathlessness and the doctor was right in his diagnosis based on the facts he had.

I myself trained at the University of Nigeria--MBBS is far from easy to come by around here. In clinical practice, making the right diagnosis is not nearly so easy--in an ideal setting, one should have a side-lab where a full blood count and blood smear for malaria parasite would have been done, or else a rapid diagnostic test for malaria, with or without a chest xray. That would have made the right diagnosis obvious, but in our setting, the doctor is faced with peculiar challenges that stymie even the best brains.

I understand your aggression at the doctor--it's your child that's in focus, but at the same time, doctors are not magicians. We work with facts, that is why we ask a lot of questions because the answers to those questions will either support one diagnosis or refute another.

ma friend stop defending dis one.he made a wrong disgnosis simple.he didn't even carry out d necessary test to rule out d differentials.dts d prob with u guys.wen sometin is bad is bad.a lot of doctors thrive on d title.upstair is empty.a lot of innocent pple kip losing dir lives jus coz someone is acting on wat he tinks he knw not wat it is.@poster u have a right to ask ur doctor to explain to u wat he is doing And why he is doing it.tank God ur baby didn't end as one of d bad ones

Sometimes we have ourselves to blame. Some peeps can be so presumptuous, they diagnose themselves when they don't have any inklin about wats making them sick. Worse is that instead of asking 4 a check up, they go straight 2 a doctor and turn him into a pharmacist by demanding 4 drugs to cure a particular ailment. Its only when d drug starts having side effects that they go back and demand for an explanation. Such as op's case. I'm nt saying the doctors ignorance should be condoned. Bt wat do u expect him to do when he has a hundred patients waiting outside d door? Its better to go to a clinic first, get a blood test or a medical examination to ascertain wats wrong, then go to a doctor to ask 4 prescription. @op. Don't be quick to villify the doctor. In this case u and ur wife were @ fault cuz u pre-diagnosed ur daughter before going to seek medical attention. Be extra careful next time. When next such a thing occurs don't demand 4 drugs immediately, tell d doctor to examine her first or carry out a blood test b4 anything else. Mistakes are the best teachers sha.

The prob is complex. Apart frm d competence of d doc, availability of facilities is also worth looking into. Had a similar story, my wife was wrongly diagnose for over 6mnths in naija until she visited another AFRICAN country. Thank God she's fit now.

superior1:

Thanks Sis. I was at the hospital later yesterday and almost wept seeing my daughter so weak but graciously responding to treatment. I wish for seconds I can take that quack to Aluu for serious punishment.I no blame Jonathan and his cohorts for travelling out each time they have sore throat.

As much as I believe there are quack doctors everywhere. I think it's a common practise for General Practitioners(as they call them on this side of the world) to have knowledge in a general sense. I have been to hospitals here also under NHS and the GPs have a computer with online resources they use to quickly match symptoms and some few writeups for easier diagnosis. So the fact that a medical doctor checked a text book has nothing to do with his/her competency. It's better to revalidate what you remember than an attempt to show-off knowledge.

If you're a specialist it's a different case entirely.

Also, like someone said, doctors work with facts.. they simply act on whatever you tell them. They can't see through your body by mere looking at you. Give your GP as much information as you can. Even here in UK, I experienced the same thing. I was said to have only Hayfever and same medication was repeated until I booked in again for another session a week later and that was after going in 2 or 3 times.

Hmmm,too many quack Doctors in Nigeria,they use our body for experiment,waist your time just because you want to see them.Just pray your sickness is not more than malaria.I never blame our rich men and I will never blame anybody for seeking medical attention outside Nigeria.The young Doctors are the worse.I will never forget when my body reacted to a sachet of pure water I took mistakenly.I got rashes all over my body excluding my face withing three weeks.I went straight to my company's hospital where I did series of test including HIV.When the test result was sent to the Doctor,he didn't even tell me anything,he told the pharmacist to give me one antibiotic and talamine lotion.I was forced to ask whats was wrong with my system as a result of the test I did.He said everything is ok that I should use the drugs given to me.The case became worse after taking the drug for one week.I went to the general hospital,after passing through the rigor of registration,I was forced to repeat series of test.After the test I was referred to a dermatologist in another general hospital.On getting there,it took me another one week to complete there own series of expensive tests.On getting to the dermatologist office with the test result,I was told that I have to book an appointment b4 I could see the dermatologist.Can you imagine,the appointment day was three week from that day.I was so annoyed that I almost insulted the lady that attend to me.Luckily for me,I met a guy who works on part time with Forever living product,we bought some products and the whole rashes disappeared less than two weeks.When I mistakenly took that particular pure water(sachet),I started noticing the rashes that was when I knew the source of the rashes.

Do you ever watch this channel,discovery ID on dstv? There is this programme "mystery diagnosis" whereby certain ailment is mistaken for another,with wrong prescription for it. Do you want to tell me that the doctors there are quacks? Mistakes are bound to happen,stop generalization. We still have good doctors in this country.
I'm not in support of the doctor,but to thrash the issue of generalization.

superior1: . . . but has my wife was leaving the hospital . . .

[size=18pt]here they come with their NASTY H-FACTOR !!!![/size]

Traditional herbs is still d best...

superior1: Perhaps one of the ills plaguing this country include her teaming numbers of quack doctors. I lost a pregnant relative just last year because the doctor misdiagnosize and administered wrong treatment to her.

Last Friday my daughter started showing symptoms of malaria and we decided to take her to a popular specialist hospital located in Ikeja. The doctor on duty without thinking twice heard my wife's complain and gave our girl malaria treatment. On sunday, we noticed fatigue, lost of appetite, extremely high temperature, difficult breathing and running nose. Over sunday/monday night she couldn't sleep and kept vomiting all her mother was able to give her (including breast milk).

Today (Monday), we took her to the same hospital and was attended to by the same doctor who recommended a dosage of quinine and paracetamol but has my wife was leaving the hospital, she felt led to speak with the pediatrician who was just strolling into the hospital to resume duties. She re-examined our 10month kid and concluded she is with pneumonia and the thing was in advance stage. The girl was immediately placed under admission for critical treatment. If not for God, that quack doctor would have given my family another story to tell.

What is it about quack doctors in Nigeria (I have had friends report their adventure with many, one was even consulting textbook right in front of an acquitance ) is it that our medical schools are producing bad ones or medical students are no longer paying close attention to their lessons?

My dear quack doctors abound everywia in dis country. Thank God for your wife's intuition. That saved your Kid's life. Our quality of education is at an all time low and our medical schoools are not left out. Half baked graduates is now the order of the day.

There should be strict penalty for quackry in order to preclude the omnibus jeopardy it poses to patients.

DANILSA: THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM HAS LONG DECAYED,I CAN BET MY NL POSITION THAT OUT OF 1,000,000 PEOPLE IN NL ONLY 20 FINISHED SCHOOL WITHOUT EXPO, SORTING OR MALPRACTICE FOR ONE DAY(I ONLY DID SMALL GIRAFFE NECK ) S WITH ALL THIS THRASH WHAT DO U EXPECT. YOU SEE BIG MEN'S CHILDREN THAT ARE BELOW AVERAGE OR 0.0 IQ READING MEDICINE BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS PAID FOR ADMISSION WHILE POOR CHILDREN THAT ARE GENIUS ARE SENT TO READ ANIMAL FARM IN ALVAN . IF YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT DOCTORS WHAT ABOUT THOSE QUARK LAB SCIENTIST EVERYWHERE.THANK GOD FOR UR DAUGHTER.GOD HELP US.

der r still good schools in nigeria.i schooled in Nigeria and in my university,cheating was almost impossible.i never sorted for once.i dint even know wht dt word meant in a university context.handouts werent even sold.when i wrote an exam,i cld alwys guage my score.

i jst think universities need to value good education and make students better products and a positive influence on the society

@Poster,

i have my own fair share of Nigerian doctors 'quackness'. My wife was 7 months pregnant and several time she felt the baby was not active. The doctors kept saying there was nothing wrong that the baby is 'relaxing'. She went for a normal antenatal appointment that was when they told her quite coldly that the baby has died!!!

Then they kept her in the hospital for 1 week with a dead fetus in her claiming it is the best option that they will induce her to take it out naturally. When i called (as am not in the country) and raked for them big time, the 'stupid' doctor now refused to treat my wife saying she should be discharged. Thank God for the health insurance provider that arranged an ambulance to pick her and do the evacuation immediately she landed at the other hospital.

It will be unfair to generalise but quite a number of them are quacks!!!

What do you expect from a failed nation?

i thank God your child is ok now @ Op. But lets see, is it really possible that the child could have had malaria and pnuemonia at the same time? The answer is a big yes!Now i am not trying to defend the doctor but like a lot of my colleagues have already stated, the practice of medicine in Nigeria is suffering and will continue to suffer because of the dearth of personnel and facilities to wirk with. About looking up a text, i think that if were smart enough, you woould know that it was be, if tter he looked it up than do the wrong thing. There is absoultely anything wrong in looking up. If a lawyer made a mistake, his client ends up in jail, if a business administrator makes a mistake, his business crumple but if a doctor makes a mistake, it is usually buried 6 feet under. And can i bet that you were not patient enough to answer all the questions the doctor would love to ask you. We get this all the time. A patient relation rushes in a patient and by the time you ask 5 or 6 questions, he becomes terribly impatient and wants you to offer a treatment immediately. Also many times, a patient who is already convinced that the child has malaria as in the case here, blatantly refuses to pay for any investigations because according to them, the symptoms are those of malaria. These are some of the issues here, you said the paediatrician was strolling into the hospital, that measn he doesnt even have a car! How on earth do you expect poorly remunerated doctors to be motivated to work!? These are the issues!!!!