FD_enigma: An Analysis of JOHESU (cont'd):

Medical Laboratory Scientists (Technologists?)

These are the arrow-heads of JOHESU. As a group, they have the free time, the resources and the lack of professionalism and empathy for suffering patients needed to start this controversy.

These staff are usually not university trained as their programmes are run by accredited teaching hospitals. They obtain memberships and fellowships of the institutes of Laboratory Science(or Technology) allowing them to work in Pathology laboratories.

Virtually all of these folks had the ambition of being medical doctors but could not meet the requirements.

In better countries than Nigeria, laboratories are headed by research scientists (in research institutes) and by consultant pathologists (in hospitals). Research scientists are typically Ph.D holders while consultant pathologists are medical doctors with postgraduate specializations in Pathology.

In Nigeria, they are quick to claim they do all the work in the laboratories o government hospitals. In their private practices, most masquerade as doctors, prescribing antibiotics and other drugs after spurious "Typhoid" tests.

Having grown wings, they fired the first salvo by declaring their right to perform accreditation for all labs in Nigeria including side-labs in private hospitals.

The next issue was preventing resident doctors in training from accessing the labs to carry out procedure (yet they claim they do all the work).

It got to the point, doctors were physically harassed and hounded by the Police and SSS on the instigation of these technologists. Luckily, most security agencies quickly washed their hands off this matter.

Nigeria is not the only country running a teaching hospital system. Let's look at the successful models in other countries and make things work. We shouldn't persons without direct involvement in patient care add to the many problems already facing our healthcare system.

I'll refer you all to the other thread. We already thrashed it there.

https://www.nairaland.com/1795548/doctors-strike-cripples-hospitals-nationwide/5#24406019

This is a reflection of a failed nation! In Nigeria,the ethos of multidisciplinary healthcare system is in shambles inflicted upon us by the people who inhabit various reverrred positions in health sector because of greed, arrogance and injustice. A man might be a cleaner, if he does his duty well and offers the portal of perfection to the most high, he is far better than a mr-know-it-all. No matter how angry we are because of the present scenarios, justice and goodwill will outlast passion. I have been privileged to live outside the country, in all my years of sojourning abroad, I have never witnessed this show of shame. In all these, we forget that the rot in public hospitals, we forget that Nigeria has one of the highest rates of maternal mortality, yet we are too quick to say" I am a surgeon," we should all bury our heads in shame. As a point departure, it is only a fool that will assume he knows everything, and he is more of a fool if he does not want to learn from others.

I'm back to pinpoint some facts.

I noticed medics on Nairaland are always laying emphasis on how they pass through "almighty" Jamb whilst downgrading other health workers.
Only the ignorant will fall for these lies...

We all know how some Dean & Provost admit their sons and daughters even when they are as dull as cats.

I personally know people who couldn't pass pre-degree exams into Botany, Zoology etc, but ended up in private medical schools. Na these types raise shoulder pads pass...

We all know why some of you feel insecure... Its simple. Medical schools keep increasing in the country; and your association (NMA) needs to work out strategy to create jobs for the up coming ones, so that the calamity that befell Law and other professions in Nigeria do not come at your door steps.

Unfortunately, para medics are not at fault, Scarcity of Jobs is.

In a country where docs now fight for the role of LAB Scientists, then we are in deep poo...


Very soon, docs will also claim the role of Pharmacologists (though, they're free to apply for masters programme in Pharmacology), but we all know how and when this course was "borrowed & introduced into the 400L medical curriculum in UNILAG


Hopefully, they won't fight BSc Pharmacologists & Clinical Pharmacologists with Pharmacy Backgrounds

Ampicillin:

Are the professors that become the VC and DVC in the universities from the faculty of Education only, is the position of the Chief of Defence Staff meant for only the army when there are more qualified officers in the navy and the airforce? why do doctors think they own the patients, have the patients not come to the hospitals for joint health care from health practitioners with everyone doing his/her professional bit, can any patient come to the hospital and see a doctor without passing through the nurse, the lab scientist, the pharmacist, etc. A proud man is he that sees others as nothing but himself. the problem in the health sector today is ''nobody else but me'' attitudes by the doctors and the patient will be the loser if not checked.

the patient comes to see me THE DOCTOR and I DICTATE WHO to INVOLVE in patient care. that's why I am number 1. I request for lab work and radiological investigations and I write prescriptions for the pharmacist to dispense. I write out the plan the nurses ADHERE TO OR FOLLOW. why are you so blind to see that the doctor is CENTRAL and indeed owns the patient. none of these other professionals come into contact first with the patient. I DO and its my choice to involve them. qed

phantomm: easy there tiger. I just gave you an example.please don't go shoving your complex down my throat. y'all feel intimidated by every thing that comes out a doctors mouth(or should i say fingers in this case)

Do you have to make your point by insulting people? or is it part of the medical training?

phantomm: ..... but you ll push your kids into medicine the slightest chance you get.....newt! lol

DR phantom,u don't have to be arrogant just because u are a doc.there are lots of engineers in telecomms firms,IT,oil and gas that earn big bucks yet we don't brag.u said 100k is even too small as hazard allowance,that means security personnels like the police should be paid 1m as hazard allowance cos their job is more hazardous than yours

;DWhen next you are sick, or have a surgery, let the nurse do it.

When u go to the clinic in the hospital, beg the nurses and cleaner and johesu to review ur case say u dont want to be treated by a doctor because they are proud. All will be well with you

ikechiozo:

Do you have to make your point by insulting people? or is it part of the medical training?

brother take it easy.I am sorry if you feel insulted. i only tried to make you understand you can't report radiographs or CTS when your training didn't teach you epidemiology and pathophysiology of diseases.its not just to know patterns.anyone can know patterns. but because of my training as a doctor I not only know those patterns,I can explain to you WHY those patterns are there and can also QUESTION THE ABSENCE of particular patterns I expect in certain disease processes.so you can see I armed to the teeth with information that already puts me at an advantage and makes me the GO TO GUY in the field. sorry once again if you felt insulted.wasn't intended.

opey25: DR phantom,u don't have to be arrogant just because u are a doc.there are lots of engineers in telecomms firms,IT,oil and gas that earn big bucks yet we don't brag.u said 100k is even too small as hazard allowance,that means security personnels like the police should be paid 1m as hazard allowance cos their job is more hazardous than yours

if our country was well run, my hazard allowance wouldn't be up to half of that of our security personnel. this issue is not about earning big bucks but doing the right thing for the health sector.

Drphemmy4u: After d usual 6yrs (plus Xyears) in medical school,1year internship and 1year NYSC,a Doctor could proceed on post graduate studies by writing primaries depending on d specialty he wants to go into.this could be laboratory medicine(histopathology,microbiology,chemical pathology,haematology),Radiology etc.this involves passing 3 exams.Candidates pay between 100-150k per exam.Doctors could write the exams many times before passing and can even get released from residency in a teaching hospital if he fails to progress within a set time period.it takes 6-12yrs depending on your speed(plus research work),thus becoming a consultant in that specialty(taking 14-20yrs of academic and hospital practice).NOW,a lab scientist who studied only at undergraduate level in 5yrs wants to become a consultant in that field simply because he has been using reagents and analysing samples?those who can go for masters and PhD amongst them should do so and become lecturers under the university(They lecture medical students in pathology classes too).This needless fight for supremacy should stop.The patients are at the receiving end here.

How true is the bold? If true then the Doctors should learn how to Hire professionals to fine tune that demands.
The NMA demands (as presented) reek greed, selfishness, wickedness and blackmail which is unacceptable in any climes.

The funny thing is, when these nurses or their relatives are sick, [/b]they never treat themselves or agree to be treated by a fellow nurse they always demend and beg to be seen by a doctor thats where u'd c them smiling and callin doctors "OGA"[b].

But if its the public they'd be claiming that they know more than doctors and be killing pple all over. A serious nurse never claims to know more than a doctor, its all thse clowns that r always claiming stuff.

what johesu is asking for is akin to letting them throw a giant rock into a market place. I am sorry BUR NMA won't allow it. tomorrow when Nigerians start seeing the ripple effects they ll still turn back and point a finger at the doctor. its not fair.
every right thinking Nigerian should stand up now and condemn it. we are complaining about our shameful health indices due partly to QUACKERY. there are many pharmacist s lab techs and nurses practicing medicine.prescribing drugs and cutting people open. it happens everyday. it is wrong because these people are not licensed to do that.
what the govt wants to do now is LEGALISE that quackery.why? nurses and pharmacists will tell patients they are also consultants and our people are to illiterate to know who is who. anarchy will be the order and of course our health indices will plunge further. your govt will then employ all sorts of emergency and knee jerk solutions to the problem meanwhile they planted the tree years back. Nma says no!

barcanista: How true is the bold? If true then the Doctors should learn how to Hire professionals to fine tune that demands.
The NMA demands (as presented) reek greed, selfishness, wickedness and blackmail which is unacceptable in any climes.

you can see that you be been firing from all cylinders without actually knowing what's going on. a new resident will write an exam called 'primary' in his chosen field in both the west African and national colleges.each exam is about 40 or 50 k..... not sure again. before attempting these exams he must have had at least two update courses . he has 3 chances after which he's booted out. if he passes he has to train for two or three years before attempting another exam called the part 1 exams still in both colleges. each about 65k and still 3 chances or you get booted out. he spends another two to three years if he passes part 1 and attempts the final part 2 exam before consultancy. each is 120 k and he has to write a research thesis separate from the main exam. still has 3 chances. he passes and becomes a consultant. it is a tedious postgraduate training programme and we don't joke with it.

vinnyvinny: What input would a consultant lab scientist or consultant physiotherapist or nurse give in the care of a patient that is currently lacking. I would also like to be educated on the requirements to become any of the above.

The only response I got for my question was from Phantomm whom I guess is a medical doctor. I would like a JOHESU member to respond please. Let the doctors chill. I have my set of questions for u guys too.

phantomm: brother take it easy.I am sorry if you feel insulted. i only tried to make you understand you can't report radiographs or CTS when your training didn't teach you epidemiology and pathophysiology of diseases.its not just to know patterns.anyone can know patterns. but because of my training as a doctor I not only know those patterns,I can explain to you WHY those patterns are there and can also QUESTION THE ABSENCE of particular patterns I expect in certain disease processes.so you can see I armed to the teeth with information that already puts me at an advantage and makes me the GO TO GUY in the field. sorry once again if you felt insulted.wasn't intended.

These courses are well taken care of in Radiography curriculum..

Lies, lies and lies... Entry point for post NYSC doctors is NOT Grade level 13! House officers as today enters on CONMESS 1 while post NYSC doctors enter on Level 2.
These people have gone round telling these lies for some time, just to misinform Nigerians and get public sympathy.
And talking about private hospitals, in major locations in Nigeria today, there are far more private facilities run by nurses and health professionals in the civil service than are run by doctors. They are emboldened by years of working with docs and understudying them without background knowledge of clinical practice. The result is turning over of cases of patients complicated by them to the same docs they so pungently loathe.

theexpected:


Lolz during rounds, questions are thrown to the least knowledgable of medical students the ones who d consultants r sure wont get the right answer , d aim is to embarrass them so that they would go and read and become more serious. And saying the chief told the nurse not to go on round with them is either a blatant lie or not the total truth....... Doctors are always telling nurses to go on rounds with them its a nurses' duty not that they do anything special during rounds, just to retrieve patients files. But they are so lazzy that they prefere gisting during rounds.

Ur opinion though. But those Nurses, their head dey dia. On rounds eh, questions r thrown to anyone. I don't see how those who can't provide answers r "less knowledgeable". But shouldn't dey be " more knowledgeable" than student nurses?

phantomm: you can see that you be been firing from all cylinders without actually knowing what's going on. a new resident will write an exam called 'primary' in his chosen field in both the west African and national colleges.each exam is about 40 or 50 k..... not sure again. before attempting these exams he must have had at least two update courses . he has 3 chances after which he's booted out. if he passes he has to train for two or three years before attempting another exam called the part 1 exams still in both colleges. each about 65k and still 3 chances or you get booted out. he spends another two to three years if he passes part 1 and attempts the final part 2 exam before consultancy. each is 120 k and he has to write a research thesis separate from the main exam. still has 3 chances. he passes and becomes a consultant. it is a tedious postgraduate training programme and we don't joke with it.

@Bold: I have been firing based on the Information presented by NMA and JOHESU. Honestly, I took my time to relax, read and evaluate both sides and HONESTLY Doctors do have some TANGIBLE demands and also some Obnoxious ones.
The NMA/Doctors should have told Nigerians the "WHY" of their opposition to JOHESU members attaining "Consultancy" status within few years by just acquiring a Postgraduate degree or work experience. Instead of just OPPOSING like that.

The NMA should have also explained the process by which an Average Doctor go through before attaining the Rank/Position/Title of a "Consultant". This will enable us reason with them rather than just say... "We oppose".

The Medical Hazard Allowance of 100k is obnoxious and unacceptable. An amount of 35/40k should be fine

The Doctors/NMA should encourage other "Professionals" to grow and possibly reach the peak of their profession but MUST follow International standard(and not shortcut).

Honestly, the Medical Profession has a HIGH STANDARD but the leadership of NMA/NARD should consider their strategies and how they press home their demands.

Omonoba1: seriously, i have been following your post and they all depict arrogancy...from the previous thread till now, you tend to stress the superiority of doctors.. people like you end up spending abnormal years in medical school because you are freaky too proud...if every one should write jamb again for MBBS/BDS, who will you work with?? dont forget that a Doctor simply have little knowledge of everything in the body but does not have full comprehensive knowledge about anything in the body..

If everyone goes back to write jamb most of you Will still end up where u are and reform johesu

phantomm: I agree! everyone can aspire to be what they want to be. you seem intelligent so let me ask you. are our people intelligent enough to differentiate a consultant physician from a consultant pharmacist? don't you think like everything in this country, this particular issue WILL be abused?? who will suffer? do you think the patient is the center in all this? our people are largely illiterate and I can assure you corrupt paramedical will use this as an opportunity to fleece Nigerians. my brother open your eyes. this will destroy healthcare.mark my words!

Oga, what do you mean by ''differentiate'' oh you want everybody to see you from afar and say that is the consultant coming? patients are not dunce as you think, let the professional knowledge you have to offer and benefit the patient differentiate you (as permitted under the law as long as you don't encroach into others territory) white gown, stethoscope, etc are professional tools they are not objects of shoulder raising, what you do for the patients will tell them who you are, if you ask patients about their medications/drug related questions, they already know who you are, forget title, doctorate title is not a reward for spending years in the university, it is scientific knowledge and what you can offer the public. I am an advocate of team work with everyone respecting the other and not one person thinking he's the dictator, you must comply by his order even if he is make graven and glaring mistakes that is against my own professional ethics

barcanista:
@Bold: I have been firing based on the Information presented by NMA and JOHESU. Honestly, I took my time to relax, read and evaluate both sides and HONESTLY Doctors do have some TANGIBLE demands and also some Obnoxious ones.
The NMA/Doctors should have told Nigerians the "WHY" of their opposition to JOHESU members attaining "Consultancy" status within few years by just acquiring a Postgraduate degree or work experience. Instead of just OPPOSING like that.

The NMA should have also explained the process by which an Average Doctor go through before attaining the Rank/Position/Title of a "Consultant". This will enable us reason with them rather than just say... "We oppose".

The Medical Hazard Allowance of 100k is obnoxious and unacceptable. An amount of 35/40k should be fine

The Doctors/NMA should encourage other "Professionals" to grow and possibly reach the peak of their profession but MUST follow International standard(and not shortcut).

Honestly, the Medical Profession has a HIGH STANDARD but the leadership of NMA/NARD should consider their strategies and how they press home their demands.

now you are posting like the barcanista I know. what are the obnoxious demands.let me tackle them individually. why is 100k too much for hazard?

this country is a fcukd up country. NMA AND JOHESU ARE JUST GRABBING AT STRAW.
until a police officer can carry himself with dignity without asking for #20,then will start to believe
until mr president can board a cab in this country, then i will start to believe.
until a level 12 civil servant can earn more than a senator, then i will start to believe.
some believe the world is cynical that we will go back to the dark ages. i think i'm starting to believe so.

Ampicillin:

Oga, what do you mean by ''differentiate'' oh you want everybody to see you from afar and say that is the consultant coming? patients are not dunce as you think, let the professional knowledge you have to offer and benefit the patient differentiate you (as permitted under the law as long as you don't encroach into others territory) white gown, stethoscope, etc are professional tools they are not objects of shoulder raising, what you do for the patients will tell them who you are, if you ask patients about their medications/drug related questions, they already know who you are, forget title, doctorate title is not a reward for spending years in the university, it is scientific knowledge and what you can offer the public. I am an advocate of team work with everyone respecting the other and not one person thinking he's the dictator, you must comply by his order even if he is make graven and glaring mistakes that is against my own professional ethics

........are you in Nigeria? seems to me you are in denial. 80% of our populace can't differentiate a Pharm from a doc.you know its true.this has resulted in people seeking specialist healthcare from people WHO SHOULD NOT BE GIVING IT.the few who know the difference still go to the pharmacist because of poverty. take a poll. find out how many of our women know who a consultant OBGYN is.
our people are not enlightened and on top of that, poor.

The doctors cause this to themselves,when consultants insult resident doctors with impunity.How do u want other hlth officers see them?
Before now,most nurses have diploma in nursing(sch of nursing) until recently.Higher education for nurses should be of paramount importance,so also attitudinal change towards patients.
As for d pharmacists,it has been reported that some organisms are becoming resistant to antibiotics.There are more to d job of a pharmacy than sitting in d hospital,taking stock of drugs & pharmacy technicians dispensing drugs.Use this power u are using to fight NMA to fight fake drugs.Stop quacks from opening pharmacies.
The medical lab scientists stopped microbiologists,biochemists & science lab scientists from working in d lab.The programme they can take to qualify to work in a lab was scrabbed.No one said they stopd these set of people frm attaining d height of their career.

eby001: this country is a fcukd up country. NMA AND JOHESU ARE JUST GRABBING AT STRAW.
until a police officer can carry himself with dignity without asking for #20,then will start to believe
until mr president can board a cab in this country, then i will start to believe.
until a level 12 civil servant can earn more than a senator, then i will start to believe.
some believe the world is cynical that we will go back to the dark ages. i think i'm starting to believe so.

the health sector is the only sector that still has some sanity but they want to scatter it.

Uncle odi:

I thought that scientists are those that invent new things. And they are mostly seen touring the moon and back. So I prefer the word Lab Technologist bcus their work is technical and there hasn't been any record of new inventions by the so called lab scientists.

Abinitio in the days of hypocrates and the ancient medical practitioners, they did everything themselves without the alied health workers. But as medicine evolved, there was a proverbial "let's make man in our own image and likeness" so some group of people were called together and were thought how to collect samples and run some basic investigations/lab tests. They were called Lab Technicians.
Since then till date, the work has not changed! The only thing that changed was the quest to be equated as Doctors hence the speedy upgrade from technical health schools to a University. This doesn't make u scientists. Remember, all u study in school in 5years, the doctor did that in 1year. The 3rd MB Class and there is nothing u know the doctor don't know more. Can the mother ever be addressed as the head of the family in the Bible? The answer is no! No matter how foolish the man is, he is programmed to be the head and the wife the helper. So the wife can help the husband become better and not to over throw him. Period.

Sentiments apart, u can't suffer so much to be a doctor right from JAMB days and expect to be rubbished latter by mediocres.

First the Nigerian constitution refers to them as either Medical laboratory Scientists or Scientists with a federal license . Your thoughts are irrelevant in the eyes of the LAW. Please refer to the Medical laboratory Science Council Act (MLSCN) which is a federal constitutional document ratified and passed by the National assembly. Are you more important than them?

refer to this document for clarifications.
http://www.mlscn.gov.ng/files/mlscn_docs/MLSCN_ACT.pdf

Sorry Sir,A Scientist's job is not just technical, it's also scientific and demands intellect, forget about what happens in your mushroom hospitals where you physicians do urine PTs and do sense on C. albicans.
Please don't give us that crap about being just technical, Medical laboratory Scientists all over the world develop diagnostics methods and procedures and reagents and other IVDs , even vaccines. A fellow Scientist developed a different method of identifying parasites in UBTH for rural areas.


This is a quote from AMLSN(Scientists) president rejoinder to ASSOPON(pathologists)--->

"AMLSN would also want to draw the attention of ASSOPON to the “Polio Vaccine Controversy” as captured in the Punch
newspaper of Monday, March 22, 2004 (pg62) as follows: “AMLSN is happy to note that the Hon. Minister of Health and Nigerians in general have realized that the controversy over the safety and efcacy of polio vaccines was only resolved by laboratory tests conducted in Nigeria, South Africa and India exclusively by Medical Laboratory Scientists and not by pathologists as ASSOPON erroneously tried to claim”. Typically, when things are going well in the laboratory, pathologists want the credit; when they go wrong, they blame it on medical laboratory scientists."




Yes it used they use to be Technicians but Knowledge evolves.

Knowlege in pharmacology, physiology, hematology and other clinically-inclined courses became imperative for optimal performance as a fully grounded Scientist. B.MLS curriculum was borne out of that necessity.
After all,Medical practitioners also started out as medical assistants in Nigeria. Every profession evolves.


Biomedical Science in the U.K is not a 2-year associate. A bachelor is awarded.

In Canada it's B.MLS
http://www.unb.ca/academics/programs/undergrad/fr/medical/

In New Zealand same story.
http://www.otago.ac.nz/courses/qualifications/bmlsc.html

In Aussie,Medical Scientists are not different.
http://www.csu.edu.au/courses/undergraduate/medical_science/course-overview

Americans have taken it to a whole new level. Doctorate of Clinical laboratory Science.
http://shrp.rutgers.edu/dept/CLS/DCLS/


Your mbbs can not rule over B.MLS in eyes of the law. Nobody forced me to be a Scientist and nobody forced you to be a Doctor. Do no overstep your boundary.

Acidosis:

You are an illiterate.

A University Bursar/Accountant, Reigistrar and Librarian all belong to NASU.
They are bosses in their fields already..

Lol, like an average "literate" Nigerian who thinks NASU is all about gate keepers, carpenters etc

We know some of them are bosses, but do they fight to become VCs?

You see, the painful truth is that JOHESU is causing all these fight to cripple doctors. Just imagine the liar that wrote the article saying that honorary professors don't work in the hospitals. That is a very fat lie. As a matter of fact, most consultants in teaching hospitals are university lecturers, and only just a few are pure hospital consultants. They are the ones that handle all the major cases including teaching medical students and registrars.
Employing them is even cheaper for the hospitals cos their basic salaries come from the university, and only their call duty and other allowances comes from the teaching hospitals.

Also, to say that registrars are only concerned about passing their exams, by the author of that article is devilish and wicked. Registrars are the most stressed group of workers in any teaching hospital, and everybody knows that. U can make enquiries if you're in doubt. Is it about the daily work schedule, ward rounds, clinic sessions, calls etc, yet somebody will write that rubbish about registrars, who are the soul of medical services in teaching hospitals.

Does it occur to JOHESU that teaching hospitals are set up for the training of medical students and doctors in residency? Why are they bitter over the employment of registrars and professors of the various fields of medicine who are fully equipped to carry out this training? Are they saying teaching hospitals should be run as general and specialist hospitals, and doctors should no longer be trained?
Again, to call resident doctors student doctors is an insult, and should not come from someone who has ever worked in a hospital.

JOHESU members are fighting to be appointed consultants, but I ask, are medical consultants appointed arbitrarily? I thought a consultant is someone that has extra training in a field, and in health disciplines are usually specialists. Why will nurses, pharmacists, and lab scientists etc be fighting to become consultants? I know a lot of doctors who have been in the medical practice as civil servants for years, but they cannot become consultants cos they don't have the specialist training and qualification.
Again, this struggle to become consultants is simply to fight doctors and cause confusion. Imagine that at NAUTH Nnewi, a consultant pharmacist entered the ward and cancelled prescriptions made by a consultant cardiologist cos the drug in question has a known adverse effect. Where is this rubbish done? Even among consultant doctors, their is respect and seniority, but hey this pharmacist wants a fight, not a genuine desire to improve patients lives.
Likewise, a consultant nurse refused a plastic surgeon from reviewing a patient with surgical wound, saying she has already done so.
Is this how they plan to carry out their consultancy?
Are they not aware that doctors take full responsibility of patients admitted under them?

For JOHESU to claim that doctors are the cause of the rot in the health sector is crazy, to say the least. Are doctors also the cause of the rot in education, transport, sports, agriculture, civil service generally, or even the overwhelming corruption in our country? Our health sector is just a reflection of the state of the Nation. However, progress is being made as many hospitals have been renovated? How come JOHESU claims it was last done in the 80s? Lies upon lies.

The truth is that if other health workers will ever be allowed to take part in heading our hospitals, then JOHESU will have to be proscribed cos as long as it continues to exist, then other health workers will together gang up and relegate doctors as second fiddle in health care. That should never happen!!! Such has never been heard of in any other part of the world.

A bitter truth is that the hospitals are the domain of doctors. Believe me, if there are as much as 500 doctors in a teaching hospital, they can effectively do the work of every other group of workers put together. Why? Because doctors have all round training: Clinical and preclinical medicine, laboratory medicine, pharmacology, radiology. Of course, nurses are trained to assist doctors. Only doctors have a clear understanding as to what happens in every other unit. A good manager should have a good and broad-based understanding of every aspect of an organization, and only doctors possess this knowledge as regards the hospitals. So why all the struggle and fight?

This battle will obviously last for long, and may lead to privatization of our hospitals. Only then will JOHESU members know that there is actually a difference between doctors and others.

Thanks for reading.

Uncle odi: ...... if u see a strike, dont go reminding us of the hippocratic oath which u know nothing about. We wrote it. We swear it, we know what it means.
Johessu on the other hand is an irrational organisation made up of other health workers, infact, basically everyone who works in a hospital. From accounts department to cleaners and the aggrieved non doctor health workers, whose sole aim is to frustrate the health sector.
In a hospital, there is the director of admin, as powerful as the CMD. An office open to every one and in most hospitals, if not all, has never been smelt by a doctor.
How can someone who is not a doctor be fighting for chief medical director. So the accounts department in a police station should start fighting for Inspector general, cos they work with the police?
How can nurses start talking about consultancy? They have matrons, CNO's and all what not. Consultancy is a position, not bestowed upon anyone. U go thru a residency program, write exams and become one under a recognised medical post graduate college.
And by becoming a consultant, u have the sole responsibility of the patient. Every other person, from the resident doctor to the nurse and orderlies are mere aides.
I don't know how to start explaining this because no one would understand. Its like 2moro, assuming when Nigeria was under military rule, civil defence would come out and demand to become president. But when the war starts, u send the soldiers. That u match infront of ur civil defence office DOES NOT make u a military combatant.
And if the same benefits given to these soldiers are given to the boy scouts, every one would become a boy scout.
Medical doctors were not selected. Its open to everyone. If u want to be a consultant or a CMD then u go and study medicine. U dont wake up one morning and decide to convert ur profession to what it is not.
U say Nigerians are subjecting their patients to quacks. Who are those quacks? Are they not the same people who believe by working inside a hospital they've become doctors? Thats exactly what Johessu is doing.
The federal govt acted like they did during the fuel subsidy, kidnap, bombings and all their plain acts of ignorance. And the medical profession has just had enough of the stupidity.
The Chief medical director office is the BIRTHRIGHT of medical doctors as much as being president of Nigeria is the birthright of a nigerian citizen. U cant come from ghana, live here for 30yrs and demand to be president.
There is a medical salary structure worked out based on relativity. No doctor has ever fought the govt based on how much they chose to pay other health workers. But relativity keeps it sane. Without the cleaners in a hospital, it wont function. So therefore, they should strike till they are paid higher than the graduate workers? because they are equally important?
Keep salary structure relative, keep qualified people in their due offices and provide an enabling working environment. I dont think thats an irrational thing to fight for.
And saying NMA is envious is only laughable. Envious of who if I may ask? Of the nurse? Are u seriously for real?
Johessu members can blog all they want and seek cheap sympathy for as long as they want. The fact still remains that the truth is the truth.
I can't chose to become a doctor and 2moro start complaining about Mikel Obi's salary. If I wanted, I could have become a footballer.
I urge Nigerians to understand that these strike, as much as it affects them, is not directed towards them.
ASUU strikes over salary, college's off education and polytechnics are on strike over money. No one has called them evil. We strike over common sense and people start ranting.
There are laws. In Nigeria, u cannot become president without at least an SSCE. If u chose not to go to secondary school, then thats ur problem. U chose ur profession, or u failed to meet the standards of the one u chose and hence went to another. Which ever way it happened, thru ur own fault or circumstances surrounding u, u dont try to turn an existing system upside down to suit ur selfish needs from wat u imagined a particular profession gains financially , at the expense of quality, efficiency and common sense.

''the post of CMD of the hospitals is the BIRTHRIGHT of doctor'' .......pls could u provide any ref. to nigeria law that support this claim?
I pitty nigeria doctors making claims without a single supporting document.
I challeng u guys to go to court if you are armed with any document supporting your bogus claims.

s!s! afrika:
if we can diffrentiate a consultant pediatrician from a consultant pathologist why won't we be able to do same for a driver and nurse, d job description is clear. Ur arguments are embarrassing, coming from an illogical 'doctor'. Quit feeling threatened and face ur personal development. Stop killing our patients with ur fractional baked knowledge. D real doctors are out there minding there businesses, ur throwing tantrums online. Quite shameful.

Would you say I am a consultant whatever BUT AM NOT A DOCTOR? that in my opinion is the crux of the matter. People in the medical setting can differentiate the general public can not.

If you really care for the patient ie public pick another title not related to post graduate medical training and enjoy.

Are the zoologists under NMA or Johesu? This might affect the president's decision. Naija go better!