PharmGreg:
the current DG of NAFDAC is a Physician.

this is what you should be protesting against(IF true).

But you didn't answer the questions

PharmGreg:
yea, and thats y I will enjoy Physician-pharmacist collaboration for It was found that pharmacist participation cut the rate of preventable adverse drug events by 66% in America.
.
.
I think this link http://www.acpinternist.org/archives/2000/03/collab.htm will be of help.

this doesnt say anything.


the other link is an isolated incident that occurs even more in isolation when there are multiple drugs in question. I see nothing wrong in asking a pharmacist opinion on that issue. i have personally seen such cases.

PharmGreg:
why should the office of the Minister of Health be oppen to Physicians alone?
Is it a hospital too?

he is a Dr, a Phd holder in neuropharmacology and a lawyer. all in one. whats your issue against him. Had he been just a Dr i would have said you have a point but look at the qualifications.




I had to modify this post with proof.


the link
http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=46160



the salient point in the epistle


Dr.Orhii has a rare and intimidating academic qualification, which suitably qualifies him as DG (NAFDAC). Dr. Orhii is a trained Medical Doctor, a Lawyer and holds a PhD in Neuropsychopharmacology

. He is also a Biomedical Scientist with vast experience in drug testing and experimental medicine, having conducted cutting-edge biomedical research into new medicines in Russia with more than 10 years biomedical research experience at the University of Texas Health Science Centre at San Antonio, Texas.






ABEG THIS GUY TOO MUCH!!!!!

armadeo:



this doesnt say anything.


the other link is an isolated incident that occurs even more in isolation when there are multiple drugs in question. I see nothing wrong in asking a pharmacist opinion on that issue. i have personally seen such cases.










he is a Dr, a Phd holder in neuropharmacology and a lawyer. all in one. whats your issue against him. Had he been just a Dr i would have said you have a point but look at the qualifications.

ahaa!!! I thought as much.he must have had extra qualifications that made him suited for the job.

phantom: I can assure you that we suspend this strike now, while we negotiate and sign agreements, we will call for another strike in one year for THESE SAME ISSUES. mark my words.your government is notorious for not keeping agreements. we have dunces as leaders who are not worth the papers they sign agreements on. the last ASUU strike was on issues that had been agreed on in 2009 and even earlier. doctors deal with human lives and they have learnt to use that to blackmail us. we strike and street urchins masquerading as leaders remind us of our Hippocratic oath which they CANT read.believe me when I say this, there is no other avenue for resolving these disputes other than a strike.

U av points which are sanely. However, a partial strike shd b okay rather dan cmplete shutdown

PharmGreg:
why should the office of the Minister of Health be oppen to Physicians alone?
Is it a hospital too?

the office of the minister of health. HMMMMM!!!! Let me see


the minister of health oversees all federal ministries concerning health issues, therefore all federal hospitals report to him and who reports from the federal hospitals the CMDS.

now the medical training is one of chain of command hope you see where this is going?



to further explain the Cmds after meeting with all professionals in his setting report to another Dr who by virtue of his training make an informed report to the president on health issues or doesn't that make sense.

The same goes for commissioners, this is all about head of the medical team. okpari nothing more nothing less.

Written by
Emmanuel Esezobor
PRESS RELEASE: JOHESU VS DOCTORS
We the association of Nigeria Hospital Patients (NHP)
having extensively deliberated on the on-going brouhaha
between the johesu and medical doctors came out with the
following resolution which we believe is a perfect solution
to end the crisis. For these groups of wannabe/drop-out
medical students who veered into the allied/para-medical
professions and want to short circuit back to assume the
roles, positions and the entitlements of our Doctors who
are our primary caregivers, this culture of impunity must
be extended to other sectors as follows
A) All cabin crew should be allowed to fly the aircrafts in
Nigeria
B) Henceforth, gatemen are eligible to be appointed as
chief of defence staff
C) That the midwives should be allowed to perform C/S on
any relative of the federal executive council that might
require this surgery
D) That henceforth, the super eagles' physio should be
referred to as the chief coach and be entitled to all
allowances of the real chief coach.
E) That the pharmacist technician should be eligible to be
appointed chief pharmacist
F) That the orderlies who has spent atleast one year
( equivalent of post basic nursing training) in a specialized
ward be referred to as specialist and be paid specialist
allowance. Afterall, the auxilliary nurses have being
enjoying all the entitlements of the B. Sc nurses since the
Gowon's regime.
G) That driving license shall be granted those who have
driving experience with toy cars in childhood.
H) That the appointment to the office of the chief judge of
the federation and minister of justice shall not be limited to
LLB holder, but open to all staff in the ministry of justice.
Afterall, all of us don judge case at one point or the other
in our lifetime.
I) To settle the issue of Consultant pathologists and the
laboratory scientists, none of them shall be regarded as
PATHOLOGIST except the mortuary attendants. Yes
because they spend more time with the dead bodies.
J) Henceforth, all staff of the national assemblies shall be
referred to as senator and shall be paid as stipulated in
the document that guides the remuneration of the elected
senators.
k) Henceforth, a credit in pigeon English can be accepted
in place of English language in Nigerian universities.
(ALL READERS ARE FREE TO ADD TO THIS RESOLUTIONS)
All these in addition to # bringbackourdoctors will be the
minimum requirements to come back to government
hospitals. Failure to do this will mean that we are left with
two options, either to go and die (Oshiomole APC, et al) or
to abide by the privatization policy (Goodluck, Obasanjo,
PDP, et al) by going to meet our doctors in the private
clinics.
FG remember "diaris God o!"
This blood that you people are ssssshhhhhaaaring.
hmmmm!!

phantom: ahaa!!! I thought as much.he must have had extra qualifications that made him suited for the job.

allied health workers have been shouting google is my friend. so i googled him


ps i never even heard of this guy till now.

phantom: I can assure you that we suspend this strike now, while we negotiate and sign agreements, we will call for another strike in one year for THESE SAME ISSUES. mark my words.your government is notorious for not keeping agreements. we have dunces as leaders who are not worth the papers they sign agreements on. the last ASUU strike was on issues that had been agreed on in 2009 and even earlier. doctors deal with human lives and they have learnt to use that to blackmail us. we strike and street urchins masquerading as leaders remind us of our Hippocratic oath which they CANT read.believe me when I say this, there is no other avenue for resolving these disputes other than a strike.

What about a partial strike? So as to attend to Emergencies ONLY?

barcanista:
2, will the minister of state understand that he is under the federal minister and not try to undermine him as we have seen that this is the major issue that johesu has on who leads the team. that is left to be seen.

This is one of the problem we have in this country-Flexing of Muscles. In sane climes, everyone knows his role(s) in the society. Ordinarily, a Minister of State should know where his powers lie, who his superior is and his role in the ministry. He shouldn't need a SS3 Student to tell him that he's under the Minister- Who is his superior. This is where the FG need to step in.

7. this is an issue cos not only allied health workers are under the civil service. going by this request a very large portion of doctors will also become directors so what would this accomplish to have so many directors without regulation trolling the hospital setting. it would be retrogressive to the health sector.

Again JOHESU didn't tell us that so many Physicians has reached or surpassed the rank of Civil Service Director but weren't recognized as such due to control in the Hospital System. Honestly, I thought the restriction was for ONLY JOHESU members. In that case the Status quo should be maintained for there not to be Anarchy in the system.
(NMA seriously have a good case-but not so good PR arm)

8.the title consultant is not just a specialist. a consultant is an individual who has attained the fellowship of either colleges and is hired by the govt or sets out on his own. they are therefore many fellowship candidates who are still working as registrars even with their status as they haven't been recognized by the hiring authority. these fellows also have a limited time in the system as they would be kicked out to make way for fresh residents to begin training.

the consultant in charge of a patient is the fellow who is responsible for the outcome of management of any patient, despite the other inputs of every other health worker including junior doctors.

We outsiders wouldn't know the above and NMA never told us the "WHY" of their opposition. With the above, the NMA have a point but they should proffer a middle-ground without compromising patients health, professionalism and sound training

Y
barnistrr......it is unfortunate u cave in to these liars. I shall reply to all when I am less busy.

JOHESU had won all the court cases at NIC u stay here listening to this born liars.

bumfem:
Y
barnistrr......it is unfortunate u cave in to these liars. I shall reply to all when I am less busy.

JOHESU had won all the court cases at NIC u stay here listening to this born liars.

eagerly awaiting your response.

@barcanista.... More than 80percent of these burning issues have been tried in the court of competent jurisdiction and JOHESU triumph in all.

Do not allow some faceless dummies stock into ur throat packs of lied.

U can see that they have yening at one another with not response from gentlemen on this forum. It is foolishness engage a blind and deaf man in conversation.

armadeo:



this doesnt say anything.


the other link is an isolated incident that occurs even more in isolation when there are multiple drugs in question. I see nothing wrong in asking a pharmacist opinion on that issue. i have personally seen such cases.










he is a Dr, a Phd holder in neuropharmacology and a lawyer. all in one. whats your issue against him. Had he been just a Dr i would have said you have a point but look at the qualifications.




I had to modify this post with proof.


the link
http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=46160



the salient point in the epistle


Dr.Orhii has a rare and intimidating academic qualification, which suitably qualifies him as DG (NAFDAC). Dr. Orhii is a trained Medical Doctor, a Lawyer and holds a PhD in Neuropsychopharmacology

. He is also a Biomedical Scientist with vast experience in drug testing and experimental medicine, having conducted cutting-edge biomedical research into new medicines in Russia with more than 10 years biomedical research experience at the University of Texas Health Science Centre at San Antonio, Texas.






ABEG THIS GUY TOO MUCH!!!!!

what do u take pharmacy for? Pharmacology? That pharmacology that u need just 50% to pass, gush! What does he know about drugs? Just Pharmacology? Almost Every health proffesionals did pharmacology.
.
Even if u read a course on drug production u aint a pharmacist and the act setting up NAFDAC says the position should be occupied by a pharmacist.
.
Should a Pharmacist be called a Physician because he did a course on public health?
.
.
.
. . . U knw d truth but trying to hide it.

Please, the PHARMACIST isnt a PARAMEDIC but, a drug expert

barcanista: U av points which are sanely. However, a partial strike shd b okay rather dan cmplete shutdown

don't say I told you but skeletal services are being run codedly. the special care baby unit and ICU in Upth has doctors keeping watch as I type this. the same in almost all other teaching hospitals.

phantom: don't say I told you but skeletal services are being run codedly. the special care baby unit and ICU in Upth has doctors keeping watch as I type this. the same in almost all other teaching hospitals.

Surely, I won't say you told me

bumfem:
Y
barnistrr......it is unfortunate u cave in to these liars. I shall reply to all when I am less busy.

JOHESU had won all the court cases at NIC u stay here listening to this born liars.

yes but the same industrial court has put your agreements with the FG on hold. they've probably realized johesu didn't give them the full picture

bumfem: @barcanista.... More than 80percent of these burning issues have been tried in the court of competent jurisdiction and JOHESU triumph in all.

Do not allow some faceless dummies stock into ur throat packs of lied.

U can see that they have yening at one another with not response from gentlemen on this forum. It is foolishness engage a blind and deaf man in conversation.

Sir lets face the Issues at hand rather than name calling.

What issues has NIC ruled on? Can you educate us?

On an average medic word, Dr. Orhii used the back door to be qualified as NAFDAC DG.
.
.
Being, a pharmacist entails you knowing pharmacognosy i.e more of Pharmaceutical Botany; Pharmaceutical Chemistry amongst other.

PharmGreg:
what do u take pharmacy for? Pharmacology? That pharmacology that u need just 50% to pass, gush! What does he know about drugs? Just Pharmacology? Almost Every health proffesionals did pharmacology.
.
Even if u read a course on drug production u aint a pharmacist and the act setting up NAFDAC says the position should be occupied by a pharmacist.
.
Should a Pharmacist be called a Physician because he did a course on public health?
.
.
.
. . . U knw d truth but trying to hide it.

don't get yourself riled up over nothing.the pharmacology I took in school does not make me a pharmacist. I don't know more than you as regards drugs.its a fact so take it easy a beg.

PharmGreg: On an average medic word, Dr. Orhii used the back door to be qualified as NAFDAC DG.
.
.
Being, a pharmacist entails you knowing pharmacognosy i.e more of Pharmaceutical Botany; Pharmaceutical Chemistry amongst other.

my brother if there is a pharmacist with a better CV than orhii then by all means protest that orhii should give way.

phantom: don't get yourself riled up over nothing.the pharmacology I took in school does not make me a pharmacist. I don't know more than you as regards drugs.its a fact so take it easy a beg.

am nt talking to you but, that Physician who thinks Pharmacy is moi moi.
.
I think he will be among those that call Pharmacist Paramedics.

phantom: my brother if there is a pharmacist with a better CV than orhii then by all means protest that orhii should give way.

his not being a Pharmacist in the first place disqualifies him because its agains the NAFDAC ACT on appointment of a DG.
.
Secondly, The little Pharmacist I knw are more than quallified to hold that position not to talk of the overall pharmacist.
.
.
LAST BULLET: Provided you aint a Pharmacist you are never qualified to be there not to talk of being qualified than other Pharmacist.

rolex29: okay introduce yourself professionally then we can talk because people who are not well informed having been posting nonsense imagine so u get your info from google its grossly misleading with particular respect to this issues

I'm a Med Doctor. A Senior Registrar In Internal Medicine. So can you now answer the question?

PharmGreg:
what do u take pharmacy for? Pharmacology? That pharmacology that u need just 50% to pass, gush! What does he know about drugs? Just Pharmacology? Almost Every health proffesionals did pharmacology.
.
Even if u read a course on drug production u aint a pharmacist and the act setting up NAFDAC says the position should be occupied by a pharmacist.
.
Should a Pharmacist be called a Physician because he did a course on public health?
.
.
.
. . . U knw d truth but trying to hide it.

once again you disaapoint me i hope people have some spare mbs



http://www.nlipw.com/staff-of-the-agency/


salient points on the nafdac act

http://www.dailytrust.com.ng/sunday/index.php/comment-debate/15286-the-facts-and-fictions-about-qualification-for-nafdac-dg


Firstly, the NAFDAC Act does not stipulate that the Director-General of the Agency must be a qualified pharmacist, food scientist or/and druggist (including core drug-related discipline).



please tell us no more lies. the act does not stipulate that the dg must be a pharmacist. I am happy i have said before had he just been a doctor i would have said you had a point.


hope you have heard.

phantom: don't say I told you but skeletal services are being run codedly. the special care baby unit and ICU in Upth has doctors keeping watch as I type this. the same in almost all other teaching hospitals.

same here. I didnt want to say it but screening/management of emergencies is being done. those who are benefiting know this.



hippocratic oath human empathy is really strong.

PharmGreg:
what do u take pharmacy for? Pharmacology? That pharmacology that u need just 50% to pass, gush! What does he know about drugs? Just Pharmacology? Almost Every health proffesionals did pharmacology.
.
Even if u read a course on drug production u aint a pharmacist and the act setting up NAFDAC says the position should be occupied by a pharmacist.
.
Should a Pharmacist be called a Physician because he did a course on public health?
.
.
.
. . . U knw d truth but trying to hide it.

dude; myopia when images(thought processes) are supposed to land on the retina (brain) land in front of it giving a blurred image.

this guy is also a qualified lawyer do you think drug regulation is all about just DRUG PRODUCTION and sales.

armadeo:




dude; myopia when images(thought processes) are supposed to land on the retina (brain) land in front of it giving a blurred image.

this guy is also a qualified lawyer do you think drug regulation is all about just DRUG PRODUCTION and sales.

its nt all about drug production and sales but, what does he even knw about the drug production.
http://www.nlipw.com/staff-of-the-agency/
.
.
I WIL COME WT MORE LINKS

PharmGreg:
its nt all about drug production and sales but, what does he even knw about the drug production.
http://www.nlipw.com/staff-of-the-agency/
.
.
I WIL COME WT MORE LINKS

dude i already used that link above to buttress my point. it never said the dg MUST be a pharmacist and that's the LAW. The man is a doctorlawyer and has a phd in pharmacology. the only issue you have is that he is a Dr.




as another poster said assuming this fellow had a pharmacy degree first then proceeded to do medicine will this come up



please. call a cutlass a cutlass

phantom: yes but the same industrial court has put your agreements with the FG on hold. they've probably realized johesu didn't give them the full picture

THE Drs major problem is one of book book book. that's why when many of this things are happening we aren't even aware of them.

JOHESU went an obtained frivolous entitlements without the say of the medical TEAM which they always shout about and now the medical team went to the same court explained and all requests have been put ON HOLD. what does this say


as barcanista said the public has been highly misinformed on this issue.

INTRODUCTION


Medical Doctors' Strike And The Crisis in Nigeria’s Health Sector



Skytrend News

Skytrend News




After trying hard to avoid putting pen to paper to express the bottled up emotions inside me, a news item on a national TV station has finally pushed me over the edge to try to explain to whosoever cares to listen, the reasons why the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) is on strike, and why there should be public agitation in favour of it. In the said news item, members of the public are yet to understand the reason for the strike. For the avoidance of doubt, I am a medical doctor but I will try to write from an unbiased point of view. As you go through this article, you may discover areas where I agree or disagree with the issues raised by my mother association. But while I do that, I will very much attempt to be as reasonable, objective and dispassionate as much as possible.

I do not believe that strikes should be the handle by which the Nigerian government turns, such that it is impossible to press home the demand of a labour union or group in this country without grabbing it. The feverish efforts used to approach an industrial action towards its end can be applied at the moment when there is a NOTICE of action. If this were the habit of those in government, perhaps the current NMA action and many others strikes by other bodies of workers before it would have been averted. My aversion to the use of strikes is even more amplified when it involves the truncation of flow of an essential service – be it power, health, transportation, security or other. The oath which I and my noble colleagues took reads in part, “I will practice my profession with conscience and dignity; the health of my patient will be my first consideration”. In all fairness, I want to say that inspite of the dearth of modern day equipment, dilapidated infrastructure and terrible working conditions, we are still struggling to live true to our promise.

Most doctors I know today work extra hours unpaid, donate to help patients obtain medications or pay bills, or go out of their way to perform “non-doctor” work just to make the patients well. The following two examples are true at least in the Jos University Teaching Hospital. Doctors run around the wards to pick up instruments and case notes (files) of patients, when many times the nurse is idle in the ward. Carrying files and getting all instuments required by a doctor on ward rounds should be a nurse’s responsibility, or at least she should direct her orderlies and substaff on what to do. In addition, she should make contributions, report relevant events which occured in the doctor’s absence, and take her own notes during the ward round. That is what our teachers tell us used to happen in the past. But alas, that is not the case. She sizes up the doctor first, to see his rank. If he or she is a house officer (the lowest cadre), he may just as well proceed without her. Afterall, she has a daughter at home that is older than this “small boy”. African megalomania at its worst. If the doctor is a Consultant(topmost grade), she may then gauge whether this doctor is the “friendly type” or the “difficult type”. Because for the difficult people, the rules have to be obeyed or else there will be trouble. This category of doctors is thus spared the pain of others. My second example, though recently corrected by a circular from management, is that doctors sometimes become porters, carrying blood samples and results to and from the laboratories. In the course of seeking for results in the laboratory, a doctor was recently slapped in the face by a laboratory staff, leading to the management response. While that malady lasted, excuses for the staff who were employed for that purpose ranged from “too few hands” to “engaged with something else” to “its not our job”! for want of space, I will leave other examples alone.

I hope this leaves no one in doubt that we do our jobs (and sometimes the jobs of others – just to make the system work)

Now to the issues.

WHO SHOULD HEAD A HOSPITAL?

Who should head a hospital? Of course, this kind of absurd question would not arise in a private hospital. As we know it, the law in Nigeria requires registration with the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and up-to-date payment of Annual Practicing fees for an individual to set up a private hospital. I carefully choose the word “hospital” because Nigeria has an endless number of appelations for both health facilities and slaughter houses. And the nigerian public is so misled that there is now no distinction between hospital, pharmacy, clinic, dispensary, nursing home, patent medicine seller, and a community health officer’s spare bedroom. All manner of attrocities are committed – there are consulting rooms in pharmacies, theatres in nursing homes, abortion facilities in dispensaries, and operating rooms on people’s dining tables. The mess is so mad that everybody who has ever witnessed the administration of an intravenous drug or watched an appendectomy is now fully “medically qualified”. So the criminals who do these things, due to the ineptitude of law enforcement, now see themselves as equal to all others who have licences to practice professionally. And a handsome majority of perpetrators of these acts are the other health professionals and allied health professions.

The problem as I have stated, cannot arise in Private hospitals. It is in the public institutions, where salaries do not depend on how much work is done, but on how much the institution receives from the “national cake”. Not on how much training we have received, but on how many years we have been sleeping at the office. Not on our individual skills and interests, but on how many pieces of possibly fraudulent paper are found in our credential file. For if these attributes were to be sought by our employer, we would never have arguments for how much we should receive. Or who should be in charge. Regrettably, however, our employer is an object that neither has a head or a brain. It cannot reason and thus cannot make any reasonable judgment. Our employer is the black gold that runs beneath the land and waters of the Niger Delta and other parts of southern Nigeria. Our employer is crude oil – our birthright and ticket to laziness, our excuse for brazen corruption, and our foundation for mediocrity and lack of desire for development. And to tell the truth, I secretly pray sometimes that the oil would just dry up, if only to induce sanity into our country. For if this employer were reasonable, it would ask why there should be a difference between the private hospital (which performs its duties and makes a profit) and a government institution which is just a black hole into which money is sunk, neither getting profit nor benefitting the masses for which it was built.

The law setting up teaching hospitals specifies that to become the CMD, a person has to have a basic medical degree (here meaning Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) and have become a consultant, owning a fellowship of one of the Postgraduate medical Colleges, as well as a few other requirements. This is one of the cardinal disputes of today.

Let me introduce the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), an amalgam of Labour Unions formed a few years ago and basically including all other staff except Medical Doctors. Even to a blind and deaf person, this is an association of strange bedfellows. Pharmacists, Nurses and laboratory Scientists alone would have made some sense. But add Administrative staff, accountants, medical records staff and it starts to get confusing. When you finally integrate cleaners, porters and other junior staff into the mix, it tells what the only object of such a hydra-headed conspiracy could be – the extermination of the disciples of Hippocrates.

JOHESU seeks for appointment of CMDs to be “made open to all competent and qualified health professionals”. The arguments for them are that this is done in some parts of the world, that their members also have medical knowledge, and that it would promote equity and fairness. On face value, these seem to be reasonable and genuine demands. And central to our response has been one issue – training. Apart from medical doctors, other health professionals attend university courses based on the semester system in Nigeria (let us leave out those who have sub-degree programmes for now – they know themselves). Apart from the Pharmacists, who do 10 semesters, most other professionals spend 8 semesters. Two of these semesters however are spent doing basic science, which is essentially same across board. So in effect, pharmacists spend eight semesters and other six, preparing for working life. Now doctors also do the same basic science, with higher credit unit loads than most others. After the first year, however, the difference in training time is incredible. The semester system for the doctor is over. The remaining five years of training are basically without holidays. When there are breaks, they last between 2 and 3 weeks, usually after exams - and in the University of Jos, for example, there are just three major examinations beside continuous assessments, which are regular. So on the generous side, a medical student has perhaps nine to twelve weeks of official breaks out of five years. That is an incredible four-and-a-half years of training. Compare that with six semesters of four months each, totalling 24 months or 2 years. Or for the Pharmacist, eight semesters of four months, which would be two years and eight months. The amount of knowledge difference is surely massive.

Asides that, the doctor is schooled in EVERY aspect of HUMAN medicine – and in appreciable depth. What the other professionals are schooled in, as far as it pertains directly to human medicine, we also learn. So what then is the doctor’s advantage as a chief executive? A doctor has a wider scope of training and is equipped to understand the entire workings of a hospital as it relates to patient care. Thus if a lab scientist, pharmacist, nurse or other health professional for example, speaks to a doctor CEO about the needs of his department or problems they are having, the doctor would fully comprehend. If a pharmacist were giving the same information to a lab scientist, however, the situation would be different. This wide scope of training and central role also has a bearing on decision making for the best possible allocation of resources and manpower, enabling the hospital to run smoothly for the good of the patients. That is why a career engineer would most likely be the head of a construction firm and not a welder or bricklayer, even if they all had PhDs. A lawyer would be the head in the courtroom, whether the clerk has a thorough knowledge of court procedure, court rulings and how to decide cases or not. Its simple logic.

Where people start to argue about whether doctors are trained in management, my answer is that other health professionals are generally no different in that respect. Seeking for “fairness” and “equity” and trying to avoid things being “skewed” has absolutely no bearing in an industry whose objective is to preserve human life. This is not sports or entertainment or tourism, where ignorance and mistakes can be condoned. Any managerial mistake in a hospital can lead to loss of life, which is irreplaceable. And for the records, recent studies in the UK have shown that doctors head very few hospitals in that country, but most of the top 100 performing hospitals are among those headed by doctors. That kind of evidence based argument in a sane society can have no reply. The document regulating the tertiary hospitals in Nigeria has said the doctor should be the head. Since the status quo has not been deemed a failure by the government, it should remain. It is pertinent to add here that the clamour for the interpretation of the phrase “medically qualified” by JOHESU is part of the ploy to co-opt their members into the league of persons entitled to apply for CMD in the tertiary institutions in the country. To be mild, this loophole seeking is simply childish. For if medically qualified were to be a general term for any diploma (certificate) related to medicine, the makers of the law would not have added a postgraduate fellowship, which is peculiar to doctors, to the list of requirements.

APPOINTMENT OF DIRECTORS AND THE POST OF DEPUTY CHAIRMAN, MEDICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE (DCMAC)

Like I mentioned earlier, we live in a ludicrous society. There is little respect for order, and people appear to be more at home with anarchy than sanity. Let’s go back to the structure of a teaching hospital. There are three directors in a teaching hospital – Director of Administration (DA), Head of Clinical Services (HOCS, also known as Chairman, Medical Advisory Committe - CMAC), and the Chief Medical Director, who is the Chief Executive. The DA handles purely administrative matters, while the CMAC handles issues related to patient care. The CMD, of course, is their superior and serves as the CEO. This ensures that patient care is not sacrificed on the altar of administrative issues and vice versa. There are assistant directors in areas such as nursing, finance, works, and so on. This creates a visible chain if command within the hospital. The yearning of JOHESU is that their members be promoted to Director Cadre within the hospital setting. Knowing the Nigeria we live in, no director will be answerable to another within the same ministry or agency. A director, as far as I know, is only answerable to a permanent secretary. Now unless the titles of the CMD, DA and CMAC are changed, what will become of the hospitals when we have, say, 100 other “Directors” walking the corridors of the teaching hospital? And if you make all the CMDs in Nigeria permanent secretaries today, what will become of the Ministry of Health? For surely, such permanent secretaries will only report to the Minister! And how many ministers can we have at once?

This whole debacle is directly related to the quest for salary increase, if u ask me. How many other government institutions have a hundred Directors within them as will be the case if this request is granted? Now the irony of it is that if this policy is approved, many doctors would also proceed to become directors. But our question is this – what benefit does it add to the system? None! And what does it take away? First, increased wage bills for the government. Secondly, increased anarchy in a system that is already bastardised by unprofessionalism. Thirdly, many “directors” will abscond from their duty posts since they would now be too big to sit in a clinic, laboratory, pharmacy or hospital ward. And who would bear the brunt of it all? Our dear old black oil. Raped, plundered and wasted, but still faithful. Nothing can be more senseless. If people wish to pursue an increasein pay, they are free to do so. But for Pete’s sake, let there be order in the hospital!

On the appointment of DCMACs, JOHESU would simply not hear of it. Their argument is that it is unlawful; possibly because it is not written out in the document that created teaching/tertiary hospitals in the country. But they forget to add that there are circulars from the government that support the creation of the office. Also, the law gives the boards of the teaching hospitals powers to take measures that ensure the smooth running of the hospitals, and these appointments are made by the boards! The job of the CMAC is indeed a tasking one and like every other Director in the civil service, he/she should have deputies to help with functions. I think that is simple enough.

SKIPPING OF GRADE LEVEL 12

The Ministry of Health has issued a circular stating that contrary to what was hitherto obtained, where all other staff of the Ministry skipped a grade level at some point in their careers except doctors, we should also be included. Though the Ministry is still in court over the legality or otherwise of skipping, it is only fair that all members of the family enjoy what our father, the Federal Government, has brought home from his hunting adventures. Abi the oil money don finish? Na on top our head una wan talk say the money no go reach again? Lai lai!. I don’t believe this should be a matter of contention. What is good for the geese is also good for the gander.

THE TITLE OF CONSULTANT AND THE QUEST FOR SPECIALIST ALLOWANCE AND TEACHING ALLOWANCE

Every person and profession has the right to determine how the career progression goes. To that extent, I do not have any grouse whatsoever with people attaining Consultant status in their field. But as the saying goes, things are not always what they seem. This point will require a little of history. Before the nineties, the health system in Nigeria was a lot more organised. There were clearly defined roles for each group of health personnell, and the salary scales truly represented relativity, which is the difference in take-home pay that should exist due to differences in training, skills and input to patient care. Gradually, the unions agitated for more and more increases, more allowances, and so on. But there was a problem lurking. For while the other unions (now grouped as JOHESU) fought and battled the Military governments for pay rise after pay rise, the doctors “kept their cool” and “were more concerned with the good of the patients”. Of course in Nigeria, the loudest person gets heard first. So gradually, the gap between the salary of the doctor and the other professionals closed up. At a point, there was barely any difference. In 2008, after many years of struggle, the government approved a new salary scale for doctors which, though flawed, was meant to correct the relativity between professions. As part of that document, there was an allowance for medical and dental consultants tagged “specialist allowance”. That is the source of the problem. In a quest to get more allowances, the term “Consultant” has suddenly crept into the vocabulary of the other professions, notably Nursing and Pharmacy, of which I will make examples. They perhaps have heard that there are “Nurse Consultants” and Consultant Pharmacists” in other climes. The question is,

WHAT ARE THE ROLES OF THESE CONSULTANTS IN THOSE COUNTRIES, AND WHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED TO ATTAIN SUCH STATUS?

According to the UK’s National Health Service website, a Nurse consultant “is a specialist in a particular field of healthcare... and spends at least half of her time working directly with patients, and in addition develops personal practice, is involved in research, and contributes to the education, training and development of other nurses”. To become a nurse consultant, a basic nursing degree is required, as well as a master’s degree in nursing, health services or administration, or public health, with working experience. Some even add that one requires a PhD or at least should be working towards getting one. There are other nurse consultants who may not work with patients but give advice to law firms on medical cases (e.g. malpractice cases) they have in court. The latter type of nurse consultant surely does not fit into our teaching hospitals, but the former may.

Most definitions of a Consultant Pharmacist describe him/her as one involved in the care of the elderly or people in nursing homes, where he reviews their medications. Infact, the history of Consultant Pharmacy actually began in homes for the elderly. Other sources describe the job as having to do with “advanced roles in patient care, research and education”. Even in these countries where the title is mentioned, it appears to be a new and evolving role rather than an established position that has relevance to patient care. Requirements include a Pharm D degree, interest and experience. Some articles I came across also require a Master’s degree in pharmacy. In the absence of proper guidelines and laid down procedure for such appointments, as well as regulatory or accrediting agencies, my view is that caution be exercised in adopting this relatively new terminologies into a developing country’s health system.

The issue of Consultant status is where I may differ slightly from the NMA’s position. Let anybody become a consultant of whatever profession he wants to, as long as there are stipulated procedures for doing so. The caveat is that as far as patient care is concerned, the Medical/Dental Consultant acting directly or through his lieutenant, is the only person to give directives about the patient’s care. To cut it short, being a consultant in any other field of healthcare should not give a person the right to change, obstruct or delay the implementation of a doctor’s management plan. The roles of such specialists should be merely advisory.

On the part of the Government, they can go on and appoint as many consultants as they want –, Nurse Consultant, Consultant Pharmacist, Consultant Physiotherapist, Consultant Optometrist, Consultant Radiographer, Consultant Cleaner, Consultant Porter, Consultant Gateman, Consultant Accountant and Consultant Administrator. Kai, even start having Consultant visitors. Afterall, the Niger delta oil is a LovePeddler, and her patrons are endless. Just one more defilement won’t do much harm. Then the next, and the next.

Let me conclude this section with a comment on the issue of teaching and specialist allowances. With the difference in knowledge between a house officer and nurse, the house officer surely does teach them a few things... if the person involved is humble enough. The point is that these guys also teach medical students, nurses and other personnell. Finally, everyone in the Health sector now wants to receive a specialist allowance and teaching allowance. Infact, some optometrists on the CONHESS salary structure now receive specialist allowances from the CONMESS salary structure. Only in Nigeria can such brazen effrontery be seen. One person, being paid on two contrasting salary scales. Well I will leave that to the public to judge, but if without additional training a lab scientist, pharmacist, optometrist or nurse wants to be called a specialist and receive allowances, the gander are also ready. The spree has only begun.

barcanista: Sir lets face the Issues at hand rather than name calling.

What issues has NIC ruled on? Can you educate us?

NIC has made it clear in its landslide judgements last year that health professionals reserved the right to be appointed consultants in their respective field and that individual professional consultant should have their allowances restored .

...That skipping of CONHESS 10 is a product of collective bargaining btw the govt and its worker and therefore illegal to be abrogated by fiat. So all officers that skip should continue to do so.

.....that Medical lab science is a distinct profession and therefore reserve the right to head their department without any influence from pathologist whose primary duty should be in morbid unit .

You may recall that all high profile profession have their scheme of service that guide their promotion and nomenclature at different level or cadre . All heath profession scheme of service pick at directorate. Mind you this scheme of service documents are approved and gazetted by govt. Another profession (physician) is now telling the govt ttoday that govt should not promote professionals to directors though their scheme of service permit them by law to be such promoted. Mind u,doctors have their own scheme of service that culminate in senior consultant . They chose not to go through directorate cadre ..It is like somebody telling u that u should not get to the peak of your career even though u merit it.

The issue of who should head the hospital was being handle by Yayale Ahmed committee on harmonization in health sector. Any matured mind would have waited for the outcome of such a committee headed by a highly revered restored civil servant before embarking on strike .The strike is like preempting the outcome of the committee assignment .

You need to know that there is only one head all the nurses in Nigeria hospital.The position is headed by chief nursing officer or director of nursing services as the case may be, ditto for pharmacy , physiotherapy. In medical practice it is not so. Depending on the number of specialties a teaching hospital or FMC may have. Their could be as many as many24 specialties in given hospital and they all must have heads of department all headed by doctors. In other words,u may have 20 department in hospital out of wish only three are headed by by non doctors.Yet they are not contented.

Mind u the position of the head of clinical services is still occupied by doctor .No body dispute their them heading this position till today even though nurses can do quite fine in this position. All of this positions are headed by professionall who expertise have a bearing on such dept.

Now comes the position of the CMD .These are the CEO of the hospital .It is a purely administrative position. Individual with administrative prowess in health matter suppose to be hire for this job. But what do we have in Nigeria. Bunch of anomalies where physician that finished residency yesterday are appointed to head the hospital not for any track record but for myopic fact that he is a doctor . So a man that has not manage a hurt in his life wants to manage an institution as complex as hospital.
pls see my third to the last for JOHESU position on this.

bumfem .