Welcome, Guest: Register On Nairaland / LOGIN! / Trending / Recent / NewStats: 3,194,909 members, 7,956,418 topics. Date: Monday, 23 September 2024 at 11:38 AM |
Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Health / Demystifying The Cul-de-sacs In The Health Sector (843 Views)
Paramedics: The Missing Link In The Nigerian Health Sector / How My Itching Ball Sacs Go Away. Reply To Rachie83? / Demystifying The Weight Reduction Product That Is Most Effective (2) (3) (4)
(1) (Reply)
Demystifying The Cul-de-sacs In The Health Sector by bukkyzems(m): 2:38am On Jul 06, 2015 |
Demystifying the CUL-DE-SACS IN THE HEALTH SECTOR In 2014 the health sector in Nigeria was crippled through incessant industrial actions by the very professionals who have taken professional oaths to preserve life. Their strikes and counter-strikes were synchronized in such a way that they never went all at once. The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) would test the waters and then back off after some hollow promises. The senior students who go by the appellation of Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) would take the cue and jump into the ring unjustifiably, then scamper back after being reminded that they are students. Thereafter, their mother association, the Nigerian Medical Association who consider themselves as ‘no shaking’ will garner all their kindred- consultants, ARD, house officers, medical officers-for the battle of Armageddon. After some crumps and carrots from a dilly dallying, possibly-confused and exasperated government, everyone will then shelve their swords for a while to give hapless and option-less patients some breath of fresh air. Initially the struggle appeared patriotic as the demands were geared towards better working conditions for all. Everyone talked about a certain ‘cure-all’ health bill. Later they talked about a certain ‘Yayale Ahmed professional committee report.’ Later on and till date and after now, the music’s changed. It is now a struggle of “ I no go gree because” you-gave-JOHESU-this or you- gave-NMA-that. The implication is that the hype about health bill and ‘Yayale Ahmed Committee Report’ were mere subterfuge, the real motive being “money, ina we pocket, food ina we stomach’ as Ras Kimono sang in the ‘80s. The NMA feels outwitted because of a few unknotting of the privileges of JOHESU. JOHESU on the other hand is embittered, and justifiably so. What are those privileges for JOHESU that NMA frowns at? Nothing really beyond the fact that government corrected decades of injustice by Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) who are medical doctors, in not allowing the JOHESU groups to get to the zenith of their career, the Directorship level. Nothing much beyond agreeing in principle that any group of professionals who meet the criteria for being a consultant should enjoy the status. Nothing serious beyond approving the skipping of a redundant grade level 11 for JOHESU who are on a salary scale that is an apology compared to NMA whose super scale still gave them a call duty allowance that is 100% higher. That skipping of grade level 11 does not confer any significant advantage on JOHESU as their salary is still far and below their counterpart who are also agitating for skipping. And by the way, what is the duration of training between a doctor and the JOHESU groups? A mere one academic session! But that one academic session has been exploited by the NMA in the days of ignorance of JOHESU to guarantee for themselves an entry point into civil service of level 12 whereas the JOHESU group start on level 10. They have used that one year advantage to wangle for themselves a call duty allowance that is 100% over and above any received by any other health professional. It is to the credit of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) that they are not strike-hungry. But in those instances when they teamed up with NMA to cripple the hospitals are they really justified? The call duty allowance alone of a newly- appointed consultant is the entire salary, if not more, of a JOHESU member on Principal post. The question should be asked if most consultants in teaching hospitals actually do calls? It should also be investigated by the public and government which, between private practice and government job is the first love of some consultants. And yet we have government being hoodwinked into doling out more and more privileges and salary for work not commensurately done. People who are privileged should not abuse it so arrogantly but thank merciful gods for breaking their palm kernels for them. The consultants have no moral right to go on any strike but should act as elders to calm ARD or JOHESU when they become intemperate. The tragedy is that the Resident Doctors who are the attack dogs of NMA will someday become consultants. Then new Resident Doctors are born. And the cycle continues ad infinitum, unless halted now. It is unfortunate that the fight has moved from that of improving health care to the level of ‘do-me-I-do-you-gods-no-vex.’ Well, since that is the frequency the health sector is operating on right now, perhaps the issues should be laid bare so that the new government may be well-guided. While the NMA are only fighting to maintain what JOHESU considers as traditional, unlawful, unjust and untenable privileges, the JOHESU group are only asking that justice to one group should be justice to all groups in order to have harmony. There have been great and grave injustices done to the JOHESU group who constitute 2/3 majority of the staff in the health sector. It has been a tyranny of the minority for decades as a result of medical doctors in the corridors of power from 1970-2000. There are decrees and legislation in Nigeria handing over the hospitals surreptitiously to medical doctors whereas JOHESU members are subjugated to be mere appendages. Victor Hugo it was who wrote that “no army can stop an idea whose time has come.” The time to ask why our fathers were in shackles has come. It was also said by Frederick Douglass that “the limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress.” I guess that the JOHESU group cannot continue to keep silent in the face of tyranny and in these times of great moral crisis, else the man would have died in them. The JOHESU group are made up of articulate Pharmacists, dogged Medical Laboratory Scientists, resilient Physiotherapists, ingenious Radiographers, formidable Nurses, calculating Dental Therapists, and a host of other brilliant and hardworking professionals. JOHESU group are not strike-hungry as propaganda has made it seem. They care about their patients who are their neighbours, compatriots and brethren in faith by the way. So, embarking on strike is not in their professional character but as a tool of last resort, to bring their grievances to the court of public opinion. That they didn’t ask questions in the past was probably due to the military era where having someone in the corridors of power was more effective than agitation. Today, the train of democracy is on course and every citizen and groups are exploring their rights and privileges without fear. JOHESU is not asking for new and unjustifiable privileges like the other group but are merely demanding that the shackles of ‘slavery’ be broken. There is no man of goodwill, alive or in the throes of death who catches a glimpse of the JOHESU tragic story that will not cringe in empathy. Now JOHESU is asking that courageous leaders translate empathy to justice. JOHESU is praying that men of goodwill will arise and condemn the dangerous caste system being watered in the health sector. An end to industrial disharmony in the health sector and concomitantly, stability in our body polity may well start by the government in power acting without fear or favour to do justice to all. To avoid boring the reader with too lengthy an essay the cul-de-sacs which have resulted in the agitations by JOHESU are summarized below. The National Postgraduate Medical College which is to train all health professionals has turned out to be specifically for medical doctors. Their students called Resident Doctors are paid heavily for going to school while JOHESU members go back to conventional universities with no pay to pursue further academic quests. After the Resident Doctors graduate from their 5-year program they are automatically made Assistant Directors (consultants) whereas the M.Sc and PhDs of JOHESU members add no single kobo or career advancement to them. Then, when the Resident Doctors become consultants, they automatically become HODs of JOHESU members, HODs of some brilliant folks, some of whom started civil service 20 years before the consultants qualified! And because of a parlous impression that some animals are more equal than others, there are two salary structures in the hospital, CONMESS for medical doctors and CONHESS for JOHESU. The disparity between both? Eye-popping! It is this same CONMESS salary structure which has given undue advantage to medical doctors that the ARD are doing ‘try-your-luck’ strike to see if they could skip a grade level. When that is achieved the disparity may well be in the region of 99.9%. Will JOHESU keep quiet? Will the much sort-after harmony be guaranteed after all? Whatever government does should be ‘all-or-none.’ Do it for all or do it for none. If there are 10 members of the Board of a teaching hospital, five are automatically allotted to medical doctors while the rest of JOHESU have just one. Now, with such a composition it is clear that the voice of the minority may or may not be heard but the will of the majority, whether fair or not, will often prevail. To continue that hegemony, all JOHESU members are subjugated under the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) who is imposed as the overall Director for JOHESU professionals. That means there is a single Director for JOHESU and that fellow is a medical doctor! Can’t JOHESU members rise to Directorship cadre? The government of President Goodluck Jonathan said they should but many CMDs who are medical doctors are not complying faithfully, atleast under the former government. Thank God we have a man who has the courage of his convictions as President today. There is hope that justice and fairness will prevail. The mother of all cul-de-sacs is that the position of CMD is foreclosed to JOHESU. It is legislated for medical doctors alone. Why? What is the fear? Only a person who has sometime to hide will manipulate the law to protect illegality. It is like saying the Air Force or Naval officer can never rise to become Chief of Defense Staff because they are not as popular as the army or because the army had been in the corridors of power much more than them. The CMDship position should be open to all or Health Administrators who are neither NMA or JOHESU should be appointed. May God guide our leaders right to divorce our noble causes from ignoble ones. May He grant them them the courage to change what they can, bear what they can’t and to know one from the other. |
Re: Demystifying The Cul-de-sacs In The Health Sector by amjou: 1:39pm On Jul 06, 2015 |
Trash. why being biased. Give analysis from no side of the divide, then we can talk. Imagine comparing Army, Navy and Airforce with NMA and Johesu. Don't you think you need a doctor? The comparison should be between Medical Doctors and Dentists. We have the medicals and paramedicals as we have the military and paramilitary, please find your place. Till you stop feeling inferior and face your work,I won't join issues with you. BTW, Jamb forms are still on sales for Medicine and Surgery or Dental surgery. Many of your colleagues have done the needful and are in medical school now. Meanwhile, hope you didn't fail to meet the admission score for Jamb when you decided to go for the paramedics. Try harder. |
(1) (Reply)
Water Recipes That Flush Away Fat And Detoxify Your System / Amazing Discovery! Doctors Say This Happens If You Eat One Banana A Day. / Stroke Treatment: Contact Dr. Bilal On: 08100343553. Stroke Cure Is Real
(Go Up)
Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 32 |