Hello all,

Greetings.

Heraclitus, a Greek philosopher, once said that the only constant thing in life is change. This quote has evolved to become a general knowledge as we tend to apply it in our day-to-day discussions.

But how ready are we trully are for change, a big-scale change?

2019 was a pretty usual year for some of us. We went about chasing our careers, academics, projects, etc. As the year tapered to an end, it failed to prepare any of us for what was to come this year.

While we celebrated Christmas and the New Year, the Special Forces of the virus world was preparing a precision strike against mankind. According to the South China Morning Post, COVID-19 first struck on the 17th of November, 2019. On the 13th of January, the World Health Organization reported the first case of the new virus outside China, in Thailand.

And so, COVID-19, which originally started off as "one of those Chinese viruses," suddenly became a thing to be worried about. It soon got the attention of international media houses as the likes of CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera started making daily reports on the activities of this virus.

For a common Nigerian, COVID-19 was just one of those trending things to follow in the news and on the internet. We were very confident that the harsh African sun would not let it thrive here. Little did we know that this virus had its sunglasses on.

Africa's index case was reported in Egypt; it was on the 14th of February. Thirteen days later, our beloved Nigeria recorded its first case in Lagos.

In a research publication by Muhammad and Rebeea (2020), Coronavirus Disease-19, often called COVID-19, was defined as a highly transmittable and pathogenic viral infection that is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. Its rapid human-to-human transmission has been confirmed repeatedly. With this understanding, governments around the world figured out that if human-to-human contact can be reduced, or outrightly eliminated, this ravaging virus would be successfully contained. It was with this understanding that the shutting down of places where people often gather (markets, schools, churches, mosques, etc) was recommended.

I fully agree that it was absolutely right to ban every form of gathering, whether social or religious. However, in this post, the writer intends to look deeper into this.

The United States of America declared war on Germany on April 6th, 1917, almost three years after the start of the First World War. During the war, the US army recruited over 4 million soldiers; they suffered about 110,000 casualties including the 45, 000 that died of the Spanish Flu. Several other countries involved in the war increased the manpower of their militaries by recruiting either voluntarily or by obligation. My point is, there was war. Who fights wars? Military personnel. It was only logical that increasing the number of personnel in the armed forces (at that time) easily translated into victory.

The world is at war today. There is an ongoing biological war between man and microbes. In truth, this war is not a new one, we are only experiencing an intensive episode.

The fighters of this war are the medical personnel and not soldiers, as we have always known. Again, the only logical thing to do if we must win this war is to increase the count of our fighters.

Some quarters have already come to realize this truth. In the UK for instance, final year medical students were hastily graduated. In some cases, the final exams were skipped. Though these doctors only play support roles in the fight against COVID-19 (ie, they do not independently carry out the task of a doctor), when they get registered this month by the General Medical Council, they would be able to "fly solo." It is worthy to note that this registration does not require further exams.

Nigeria is still very far from the recommendation of WHO on the required number of doctors to cater efficiently for the population. A 2020 report showed that the doctor-to-patient ratio is about 1:2753. In other words, about 37 doctors cater for 100,000 patients. COVID-19 apparently has made this worse as the number of confirmed cases continue to increase. As of today, the number of confirmed cases is over 50,000 with about 985 deaths.

We need more manpower on board. I understand the risk of exposing medstudents and lecturers to the virus. But question, isn't this risk a constant in the field? A soldier is always exposed to danger. As doctors, everyday we go to the wards, everyday we perform procedures in the theatres, we are exposed to risks.

The writer does not imply that the entire medical school should remain open. This may not be practically possible. Emphasis is on the clinical arm of the program, particularly the 500 and 600 level students. These are strictly clinical classes.

Rather than shutting down medical schools, it is wiser to facilitate - or hasten - the program and graduate doctors as quickly as possible. This cannot be overemphasized.

As I conclude, I urge the government and all the regulatory bodies to consider recalling clinical students. I also call for better equipment to ensure the safety of medical personnel, students and patients. I call for better funding of the health and education sectors.

Together, we can defeat COVID-19.

Good afternoon.

References

https://crossroadsantigua.org/the-only-constant-in-life-is-change-heraclitus/

https://covid19.ncdc.gov.ng

https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/27-04-2020-who-timeline---covid-19

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3074991/coronavirus-chinas-first-confirmed-covid-19-case-traced-back

https://www.afro.who.int/news/covid-19-cases-top-10-000-africa#:~:text=Reaching%20the%20continent%20through%20travellers,countries%20have%20reported%20cases.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/20/final-year-medical-students-graduate-early-fight-coronavirus-covid-19

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090123220300540

https://www.google.com/amp/s/businessday.ng/uncategorized/article/ratio-of-nigerian-doctors-to-population-is-1-2753-fg/amp/

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_in_World_War_I#CITEREFByerly2010

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090123220300540

https://ncdc.gov.ng/news/227/first-case-of-corona-virus-disease-confirmed-in-nigeria

Cc:
Lalasticlala
Mynd44
Richiez
Ishilove
Dominique
Other moderators.

Kindly consider for Front Page for better review.

#Seconded

Ademola47:
#Seconded

Thank you very much..

U are absolutely right..
I was expecting them to allow medic students take part in d fight, buh lo and behold, them tell us make we pack our bags go house.. Like say Al d postings and exams we Dey write since na waste of time

fayded:
U are absolutely right..
I was expecting them to allow medic students take part in d fight, buh lo and behold, them tell us make we pack our bags go house.. Like say Al d postings and exams we Dey write since na waste of time

Hahaha.

Same here, chief. I was hoping we too would be integrated into the combat. Not as some random volunteer. Rather, it should be part of our training "officially" so that our calendar too go dey count. At the end of the day, the more doctors they graduate, the better the healthcare system.

Someone in the corridors of power should hear us and act on this..

same way the science students are at home instead of working all day in the labs for a vaccine or for ways to help contain the virus...lets jus say the F.G dnt expect anything to come out from the same educational sector that they know..

paulolee:
same way the science students are at home instead of working all day in the labs for a vaccine or for ways to help contain the virus...[b]lets jus say the FG dnt expect anything to come out from the same educational sector that they know..[b]

Good point..

What do you all think about this? Dear Mods, I think it'll be a good idea if this reaches the Front Page.

It's high time someone started talking about this...

TONYE001:


Hahaha.

Same here, chief. I was hoping we too would be integrated into the combat. Not as some random volunteer. Rather, it should be part of our training "officially" so that our calendar too go dey count. At the end of the day, the more doctors they graduate, the better the healthcare system.

Someone in the corridors of power should hear us and act on this..

Why not admit more medical students instead.

Squillaci:

Why not admit more medical students instead.

Hahahha.

True, there's need for expansion but this is a longterm project. This article is addressing an immediate concern, that is, keeping clinical students at home.

Hopefully, the number of admitted students would increase as soon as facilities are improved upon...

Let's keep this thread active until it reaches the Front Page. We need more reviews, please.

Good morning.

Nt only med students bt even nrsing and others. Imagine a 500level MLS student at home instead of the lab becos of a VIRUS

BOOKWORMLUX:
Nt only med students bt even nrsing and others. Imagine a 500level MLS student at home instead of the lab becos of a VIRUS

Exactly.

Absolutely true!

I agree with you totally on this one. Allowing medical students (and also nursing, MLS and other health related courses) mainly the clinicals and final year won't just help in the fight against Covid-19 by providing more manpower but will also equip them and give them more exposure in the medical field.

Please Mods should move this to front page.

Martins134:
I agree with you totally on this one. Allowing medical students (and also nursing, MLS and other health related courses) mainly the clinicals and final year won't just help in the fight against Covid-19 by providing more manpower but will also equip them and give them more exposure in the medical field.

Please Mods should move this to front page.

Yeah.

A hands-on experience can never be given in the classroom. Beyond that, the healthcare system in our country is so bad that we can't suspend training new personnel. We just need to improve the doctor-to-patient ratio which seems to be worse in this pandemic.

If possible, lecturers in the health sciences should leave ASUU so that the system is not repeatedly interrupted due to the incessant strikes. At the end of the day, the government has a lot of role to play. The government lacks the willpower to make education in our country better (so I can't blame ASUU for the strikes).

Let us all join our voices and call for the resumption of the training of clinical students. We want to resume school and finish our training so we can start rendering our quotas to humanity.

This is really a FP topic.
Its important Government understands this.
Medical students especially the Frontliners(Dentistry/Medicine, MLS,Nursing) are all sitted at home doing nothing and the same FG still cry that Health workers are not much.
Medical students could help with their little knowledge and ease the workload on the Main personnels.

BOOKWORMLUX:
Nt only med students bt even nrsing and others. Imagine a 500level MLS student at home instead of the lab becos of a VIRUS

And you wonder whether your schooling isn't about the virus in the first place.

samuelpeters:
This is really a FP topic.
Its important Government understands this.
Medical students especially the Frontliners(Dentistry/Medicine, MLS,Nursing) are all sitted at home doing nothing and the same FG still cry that Health workers are not much.
Medical students could help with their little knowledge and ease the workload on the Main personnels.

Exactly my point.

Clinical students could play support roles, gain relevant experience while continuing the program.

This could be a win-win situation for everyone.

While I agree with the posters above, talk is indeed cheap.

edoairways:
While I agree with the posters above, talk is indeed cheap.

True that..

But we aren't saying medstudents are superheroes that would save the day... Our point is that the program shouldn't have been shut down.

TONYE001:


True that..

But we aren't saying medstudents are superheroes that would save the day... Our point is that the program shouldn't have been shut down.

I get your point

edoairways:

I get your point

Yeah, mercie beaucoup!

TONYE001:


Yeah, mercie beaucoup!

Yep.Est-ce que tu parles français?

edoairways:

Yep.Est-ce que tu parles français?

Oui, je parle la langue...

...but don't want to derail..

TONYE001:


Oui, je parle la langue...

...but don't want to derail..

Ok

TONYE001:


Yeah, mercie beaucoup!

edoairways:

Yep.Est-ce que tu parles français?

TONYE001:


Oui, je parle la langue...

...but don't want to derail..

What the fvck is this ??

The question I'm gonna ask you is are you ready to die by exposing yourself to corona patients in the act of searching for a cure?

mdan:
The question I'm gonna ask you is are you ready to die by exposing yourself to corona patients in the act of searching for a cure?

See, we shouldn't be dramatic about this.

Firstly, COVID-19 patients are not just kept in the wards. Confirmed cases are admitted in isolation centres where they receive treatment. Medstudents must not do rotations in these centres. The usual rotations for medstudents are the clinics, theatres, medical and surgical wards as well as the A and E. There are many support roles students can play outside the isolation centres.

Let us note that COVID-19 is HIGHLY preventable. Routine handwashing and appropriate use of PPE's like face masks and gloves are just enough to keep you safe.

The situation is bad, true, but not as bad as many think especially because this is something we all have a chance to prevent.

It's a nice one. The country has nothing to write home about Patient to doctor Ratio. If attention can be given to medical students of penultimate years, it will aid boost the number of health practioners and also first hand experience in handling such outbreak.

We hope it gets to the relevant authorities.

George2164:
It's a nice one. The country has nothing to write home about Patient to doctor Ratio. If attention can be given to medical students of penultimate years, it will aid boost the number of health practioners and also first hand experience in handling such outbreak.

We hope it gets to the relevant authorities.

Exactly why I wanted this to get to the Front Page..