Well if public opinion doesn't matter so why this post and the many for and against. The truth is that freedom in any realm of life and living comes with grave responsibilities. To whom much is given much is equally expected. Doctors demand and rightfully so much respect, remuneration, etc but the public has a right to expect the very least respect and professionalism. They feel they are not getting it hence the push back. When you see Oga fighting his houseboy in public you restrain the houseboy but the greater damage is done to the reputation of Oga. Doctors are losing the respect and reverence they have in the eyes of the public year on year with these incessant strikes and now this, an issue that the public feels should be a internal matter, a 'family affair' with doctors being the supposed head of the home.' Is inter union dialogue a crime. Must everything always be out in the open.

Personally like I will always say of the incessant finance driven ASUU strikes, it is absurd to have the greatest pool of ideas and talents in Nigeria pressing a group of people who's only asset is power (government) for solutions to common challenges they themselves face when the whole world seeks freedom and considers thinkers to be leaders. In similar manner I consider doctors to be 'too big' to be demanding from government some of the things it asks for.

DebateNigeria:

Yes I agree with you to a large extent. The decadence in the public sector is everywhere. The government should put machinery in place to check this menace not only in the health sector but in all other sectors. Blame the government for allowing doctors to divert patient and or resources to their private hospitals, blame the government for allowing laboratory scientists to divert patients to their private labs, blame the government for allowing pharmacist to divert patients to their private shops.
Indeed we are in a lawless society, if not they all would be in jail.
NMA should stop personalizing their demands..... They should also make demands that address the issue of corruption in the health sector.

No question all government services from doctors, teachers, policemen, nurses, pharmacist, and politicians are corrupt.
The NMA also needs to change focus, and go on PR attack alerting the public about the anomalies in health care. They need for instance to educate people that sending an infertile couple to a lab tech who only knows how to isolate staph aureus from a semen sample is not the only approach to solving the problem. There is an issue of H&P, PE of both man/wive, diagnostics and interpretation, so much so that many couples solve this sort of problem without seeing a med lab tech. The NMA needs to get their act together.

symbianDON: firstly welcome to nairaland@ poster! I took out time to go through your entire post and found it interesting. However, i make bold to say that most nigerians do not hate medical doctors.....far from it. What we hate is their egoistic and almost sadistic approach in resolving issues that they have leveraged this particular strike upon. I must say, at this juncture, that most of their demands unreasonable and if implemented will only lead to further chaos in the health sector in the form of strikes. Imagine! Most of the doctors here on nairaland even gloat about the strike while patients are out there losing their lives....and all they simply say is 'let the other professionals treat them since they want to be equated with doctors'. That kind of reasoning is dangerous. Already, which other professional in the civil service earns more salary than medical doctors? It is also known that medical doctors are well respected in the society far above other health professionals.......yet these doctors don't think about all these. It seems also that these doctors have conveniently forgotten that doctors can't work in isolation in the hospital. Other professionals are needed too and they deserve respect and consideration. And please doctors stop telling us how you spent 6 years in school. It is annoying.

Well said. Thanks. I have been enjoying myself so far with mature comments devoid of insults and sarcasm.
One of the things I think is needed is re-orientation of all health workers and also the public toward health care delivery in nigeria. Once you are in the hospital environment , the assumption is that such an individual is a doctor, this assumption is even common in big cities like Lagos. I have seen auxiliary nurses who attends to patients at home, take delivery and do all sorts, she is not even. Lose to being a qualified nurse. Now nurses are fighting for the abolishment of auxiliary nurses in nigeria because it has really impeded their growth and success. But most of these auxiliary nurses are even more experienced than qualified nurses. My honest take is that what is wrong is wrong irrespective of what the benefits might be. Everybody cannot be equal.
Meanwhile the doctors should call of this strike. A neighbor almost died yesterday night because of this strike. Please doctors call off this strike and embrace dialogue. JOHESU guys should work with doctors to ensure there is peace.

PerfectFortune: The OP may claim not to be bias in his judgment but in my opinion, he is very bias.

To begin with, I don't think ppl hate Drs cos it's a title anyway but the attitude of the holder of the title. For your information, majority of the ppl don't like Nurses either part of the reason which has been stressed out already by the OP but they seldom disturb us Strike actions and selfish demands.

I am not saying there are no competent health care providers in the country, it won't be fear on them but the majority of them are incompetent.

I can safely say 70 percent of the so called Drs are incompetent but they want to be treated as gods.

Majority of the Drs working at various govt owned hospitals also work elsewhere either at their own private hospitals or get a job with a private hospital all to the deteriment of the poor masses who frequent the govt owned hospitals.

In most govt owned hospitals, you hardly find a Dr that practise the true essence of the profession but those that are arrogant, selfish and complete cheats.

Take the FMC ebute metta for instance, patients rush to the hospital as early as 5.30/6am to pick nos so they can attended to and return home early enf as it is not like anybody likes going to the hospital anyway but the Drs stroll in around 9.30/10am with no apology the long waiting anxious patients (since they beliv they shld be worshipd) and by 1pm they stop consultation till the next day leaving for their various private hospitals.

If I should start talking about their level of incompetence, the whole page will not contain it as there are even on several occassions where they are corrected by Nurses (on medication prescriptns).

In simple terms, ppl don't hate Drs but the attitude of the holder of the title. They are arrogant, selfish, incompetent, cheats and the big bang, "Killers" going on strike to divert patients to their private hospitals.

I will keep saying it, herbalists are better than most Nigerian Drs..

. probably because you don't understand d working conditions Doctors in the country are subjected to..... this doctors u talk about have children. parents n relatives too whom dey care for... dey also buy from d same MKT politicians buy from..... now if they are well remunerated like in other countries. n d govt provides NHIS for all of its citizens n equips d govt Hosp to be world standard. then you realize how good Nigerian doctors are in terms of skills etc.... they travel out because they don't have faith in the system here owing to the fact they crippled it by looting public funds.... have you wondered y Nigerian doctors abroad are d best among their equals? how much is radiotherapy machine for cancers n how much is a senators sitting allowance. yet we barely have only 3 non functional raditherapy machines. how many govt hospitals have functional dialysis machine? have u also y more than half of medical doctors produced here yearly travel out never to return? do you know what the world standard is. in terms of patient to doctor ratio? I will leave u to find out n tells. but bear in mind that most centers in this country lack facilities thus forcing their doctors to work with bare hands...yet they save as much lives as God encourages them to......Nigeria has enough to care for its citizens its just misplace priority.

PerfectFortune: The OP may claim not to be bias in his judgment but in my opinion, he is very bias.

To begin with, I don't think ppl hate Drs cos it's a title anyway but the attitude of the holder of the title. For your information, majority of the ppl don't like Nurses either part of the reason which has been stressed out already by the OP but they seldom disturb us Strike actions and selfish demands.

I am not saying there are no competent health care providers in the country, it won't be fear on them but the majority of them are incompetent.

I can safely say 70 percent of the so called Drs are incompetent but they want to be treated as gods.

Majority of the Drs working at various govt owned hospitals also work elsewhere either at their own private hospitals or get a job with a private hospital all to the deteriment of the poor masses who frequent the govt owned hospitals.

In most govt owned hospitals, you hardly find a Dr that practise the true essence of the profession but those that are arrogant, selfish and complete cheats.

Take the FMC ebute metta for instance, patients rush to the hospital as early as 5.30/6am to pick nos so they can attended to and return home early enf as it is not like anybody likes going to the hospital anyway but the Drs stroll in around 9.30/10am with no apology the long waiting anxious patients (since they beliv they shld be worshipd) and by 1pm they stop consultation till the next day leaving for their various private hospitals.

If I should start talking about their level of incompetence, the whole page will not contain it as there are even on several occassions where they are corrected by Nurses (on medication prescriptns).

In simple terms, ppl don't hate Drs but the attitude of the holder of the title. They are arrogant, selfish, incompetent, cheats and the big bang, "Killers" going on strike to divert patients to their private hospitals.

I will keep saying it, herbalists are better than most Nigerian Drs..

U obviously don't know ranging about what u are saying, as a nurse in the clinic your work is and limited to the clinic, as a doctor the clinic has a time scheduled for it, e.g u might have to go for morning review , do a quick ward round on in patient before u start the clinic, that's why most clinics are scheduled to start by 9 or 10. Lemme not talk much, I know its the hatred that makes people not to appreciate doctors effort in saving lives

Yipeeee finally I found myself in narialand....am able to comment . my dear na long process to login to this narialand for comment ooo, e no dey like so for LIB.
Back to post
I hear some1 say that doctors are the highest paid professional in Nigeria, and my advice is before you come here come yarn dust, get adequate information and not exhibit ignorance.
Everybody is against Doctors for going on strike for what the FG has done wrong all because of the level of ignorance in this country . You expect a doctor to give u adequate services Buh u don't want the FG to treat them well . The last I check, the doctor/patient ratio in Nigeria is 1:6000.buh in the USA, it's 1:600.plus a doctor in the states work a maximum of 8hrs daily, Buh an average doctor in naija works a minimum of 12hrs vigorously plus poor hosp condition which is frustrating . then wen d doc is on call he works 24hrs.And there are people calling doctors greedy n referring to the hippo oat.All I can say is just be a doctor for 1 day maybe you wld understand better . cuz no amount of information can make you understand.

olushowunm: @DebateNigeria... I took the pain to read through your article about 3 times. First, i have no objection to your points on not sharing the position of CMD or others as stated with other health sector practitioners, but my grouse is that -"we Nigerians hates our Doctors so much"
I don't hate Doctors but i hate their Greedy tendencies. Doctors are not professionals again because of material and pecuniary gains!
How do you explain the incessant strikes by NMA like ASUU? Both NMA and ASUU have lost any iota of credibility to most Nigerians because of their inhumane strikes that lacks any form of professionalism for both professions involved.

Yes, these strike must stop. But blame the government. Machinery should be put in place to stop future strikes.

I think Nigerian doctors are worth more than what they get from the federal government of Nigeria,considering how our politicians /elected officials embezzle from the national treasury.

Obviously a lot of misinformation has brought us all to this point.d truth is dat d point JOHESU advocates will only create chaos in d public health sectors.even in hell,there exists a form of order.all teams have leaders and job descriptions vary.certificates are weighted everywhr in d world.mbbs is higher than all other degrees in d health team and dats a fact everywhr d world over so y complain went someone with a degree demanding more responsibility leads?renumeration is also based on job description and must reflect d weights of d degrees.d America dat they are quoting pay Doctors far more than most other professional and it's not contestable.consultant nurses and pharmacist don't work in hospitals as they demand here.for a fact,the JOHESU struggle borders not really on improving patient care but on increasing salaries.if a doctor doesn't involve u in d patient management u may as well not even know such a patient exist.for instance if d doctor doesn't demand an xray a radiographer may not even know d patient visited d hospital.d doctor remains at d core of management of patients and interfaces with other health workers whom he deems necessary in d course of management.every one shld just go and do his/her work well and not encroach others professional space.dats all.

To start with I dont think there's any law or statute that ties the word "Dr" exclusively to practitioners of medicine. The word is just a title ascribed to anyone who by virtue of an act or convention deserves it so it's wrong and silly of medical practitioners to claim exclusive right over it.

I need medical practitioners here to point me to any law that gives them exclusive use of the word "doctor" .

[quote author=DebateNigeria]
SO BECAUSE THEY MEDICAL DOCTOR SO WE SHOULD BE LICKING THEIR A$$?

naijaking1:

No question all government services from doctors, teachers, policemen, nurses, pharmacist, and politicians are corrupt.
The NMA also needs to change focus, and go on PR attack alerting the public about the anomalies in health care. They need for instance to educate people that sending an infertile couple to a lab tech who only knows how to isolate staph aureus from a semen sample is not the only approach to solving the problem. There is an issue of H&P, PE of both man/wive, diagnostics and interpretation, so much so that many couples solve this sort of problem without seeing a med lab tech. The NMA needs to get their act together.

Agreed

Mbediogu: Thanks Dr. Eilogie for your well researched write up. You have shown the material doctors are made of. Is anybody still in doubt why things are still going the other way in our health sector? Why the most basic drugs must be imported from India? Professionals and vocational are leaving undone what they are trained and paid to do; seeking to bastardize the art of patient/doctor relationship by dilution. I have been in medical practice for 33yrs and I must say this development is catastrophic. I blame the Pharacists squarely for this ugly development; for giving leadership to an unholy alliance to pull down doctors. Let us watch.

See what I mean. The tone of these sort of retorts is troubling.....blame pharmacists.....leadership to an unholy alliance to pull down doctors..... This is what the public cannot understand. Is this politics or professionalism. How is it possible that two highly placed professional bodies cannot sit down and solve this. Are the members of the public not in danger if fights break out in medical institutions. You can imagine what will happen if this bull is played out in a theatre during a procedure. I just shudder.

atrix4g: Ahhhhhhhh shame on u, I hate it when pple complain of reading simple essays or articles it's like dis country will continue to depreciate in terms of knowledge, even if u can't go tru it why sayin it boldly guy na shame oo not to even write it common read. SMH. Nd if na foolish tin naw u go get tym Nice article @ op. Dough I'm a paramedical student wat u wrote here is correct.

check d meaning of paramedical before u keep joining d Nigerian doctors to debase urself.

.

Smartsyn: I hate it when a simple question thread, turns out to be an epistle.





I don't hate Doctors, it's the greed in them that I don't like.

I hate nigerian doctors with passion,they are soooooo greedy and heartless not all of them though

warrior01: Hate doctors? The fact is those people in Nigeria that parade themselves as Doctors, don't know what it really means to be a mreal doctor. No ethics, no compassion and no proffessionalism. All we have is a bunch of greedy people that is full of unnecessary pride. If you doubt me, why do our people rush to India for proper treatment?

Oga, our ppl rush abroad 4 everything. Cars,clothes,electronics,weapons,foods, drugs,equipment,refined oil,utensils,toothpick. So u dnt hv a point there.

DebateNigeria: I know this topic may not make FP because it is not against the medical doctors as only topics against doctors make FP. I have always been an anonymous visitor or guest here but had to join nairaland to post this topic.
It is really saddening to see how Nigerians regard their medical doctors. I have been following this saga on nairaland, Facebook, other social media and print media. I came into conclusion that Nigerians have misplaced priorities. We hate doctors so much and yet we roll out our drums in celebration each time our children graduate to become one. I have some friends who swore that since they could not study medicine, they will do everything in their powers to ensure their kids study medicine.
Why the so much hatred for doctors. I once had a sister who decided to go to a nurse at home to take her delivery, after this nurse tried all she could do, she referred her to a general hospital and I must say that the doctors where so professional about it, they did not want to lose the baby or the mother, my sister was so bad I thought she would not make it but for the doctors she survived, the baby survived too. It was the doctors who took her blood samples ran a test in the ward side lab brought out the test result in less than 5 mins and said she will need blood. These same doctors took the sample to the lab about 500 meters from the ward, went back to check that the blood was ready, wheeled her to the theatre, monitored her till she was awake. I must say the input of other health professionals was minimal. I was amaed.
I am not justifying the doctors strike, I am not in support of any strike but a better understanding of the fight in the health sector is important for all. I often see people make bad comments about nurses. Though nurses are trained to offer care, I must say doctors I have met are still more caring than nurses. The day you or any of your relative is admitted in a public hospital you may understand what I am trying to say. They shout at patients and their relatives, they may not even wait an extra minute once their shift is over. But doctors are patient, they don't gossip unlike others who stay in the ward gossiping patients and their relatives.

Here is an article that was shared on Facebook and I feel nairaland could benefit from it. It may be bias because it is coming from a medical doctor but I feel it is the honest truth.

I appeal to our doctors to go back to work, patients are dying. We need you and we appreciate your effort.



This is also to announce my membership of nairaland. I shall engage in meaningful debate and will not entertain any form of insult as that is the reason I refused to join initially.
Nairaland is a great community and I have learnt a lot as a guest. I wish I will learn more as a member

@DebateNigeria,

1. I feel the topic of your post is rather misinformed because from all comments I''ve read regarding the on-going strike, I am yet to see one that suggests Doctors are hated... We only dislike the attitude of Doctors but we don't blame them, it's really the fault of Government... you may wish to read my comments from another thread - https://www.nairaland.com/creativeengr/posts

2. The issue of Doctors is peculiar to Nigeria because Society has allowed you guys become so arrogant perhaps, due to the perception that becoming a Doctor isnt easy but which course is easy? Yes, it is more demanding, it takes longer, others are already employed while Doctors are still in school and bla bla bla . The last I checked, nobody is forced to study medicine and so if it takes longer or demands more, that has to do with the nature of the course and it's part of a noble sacrifice to our collective humanity... Can Doctors take the role of nurses, accountants, security, lawyers, engineers alone in society? We all need Doctors just as Doctors need us period!. this "I better pass my neighbour" mentality is also apparent in military men, lawyers to mention few.. for Doctors, this is part of what informs their regular strike actions but we can't blame them.. what should you expect in a society where a senator earns what 25 professors of medicine earn for doing literally and absolutely NOTHING... This is the root of the problems of Doctors...

Hey, I am not saying Doctors shouldn't be well paid but beyond take home pay or titles, what is the state of our hospitals?

Before you crush me by saying it's not the fault of Doctors, it's an open secret that substantial private hospitals are owned or run by Doctors, including consultants that acquired their expertise on the bill of Govt.. a close friend once told me how a CMD in a Govt. Teaching hospital advised him to always put aside extra cash to fly himself or his family abroad in the event of emergencies.. meanwhile, he owns at least 3 private clinics... who is fooling who? The Doctors, like top Military Generals or Phcn officials remain a major part of the problems faced in their respective sectors...

yes, we admit problems in the system but the solutions are deeper than what strike or getting Govt to pay more money can solve...

Opusy:







Who send them? Or who force them. Dia greed Iڪ taking a better part of them that they don't even know what they are doing anymore. They should be charged And arrested for murder cos dia silly mistakes have sent pple 2 dia early graves.
Are they asking for more money 2 continue killing innocent Nigerians?

its very rare to find a good and descent doctor in Nigeria that properly knows the medical ethics. All doctors see in patients these days is money,money and more money, they don't even care about the patients welfare.

APContherun: To start with I dont think there's any law or statute that ties the word "Dr" exclusively to practitioners of medicine. The word is just a title ascribed to anyone who by virtue of an act or convention deserves it so it's wrong and silly of medical practitioners to claim exclusive right over it.

I need medical practitioners here to point me to any law that gives them exclusive use of the word "doctor" .

Check dictionary meaning of the word Doctor, it is limited to theologians, PhD holders,physicians, dentist,vetinary medicine degree holders

APContherun: To start with I dont think there's any law or statute that ties the word "Dr" exclusively to practitioners of medicine. The word is just a title ascribed to anyone who by virtue of an act or convention deserves it so it's wrong and silly of medical practitioners to claim exclusive right over it.

I need medical practitioners here to point me to any law that gives them exclusive use of the word "doctor" .

This is the most irrelevant post on this thread. Are you thinking with your spinal cord or are you deliberately making this up?

macsika: its very rare to find a good and descent doctor in Nigeria that properly knows the medical ethics. All doctors see in patients these days is money,money and more money, they don't even care about the patients welfare.

Now that you know so much about medical ethics more than the doctors, I will love to be under your tutelage.

Kindly teach me. Medical ethics, sir.

sainty2k3:
Check dictionary meaning of the word Doctor, it is limited to theologians, PhD holders,physicians, dentist,vetinary medicine degree holders

Anyone is free to use the title "doctor" as deemed fit. Anyone.

warrior01: Hate doctors? The fact is those people in Nigeria that parade themselves as Doctors, don't know what it really means to be a mreal doctor. No ethics, no compassion and no proffessionalism. All we have is a bunch of greedy people that is full of unnecessary pride. If you doubt me, why do our people rush to India for proper treatment?

You have a really low opinion of Naija doctors! I'm not surprised though-a prophet has no value in his city.
Why are Nigerians rushing to India for treatment? This has little or nothing to do with naija doctors' lack of expertise. Nigerian doctors are well trained and don't shy away from cases. Unfortunately; what will you do if you have no equipments to work with? Equipments that your employer(in most cases the government) should put in place.
You people go about blaming doctors for the increase in medical tourism abroad when your government refused to upgrade, maintain and invest in hospitals.

Thank God for eager Resident Doctors and able consultants whose collective and individual research efforts can't be underrated at the teaching hospitals, we would've had an even higher rate of medical tourism abroad. Thank God also for the Medical officers at the States hospitals and General hospitals for their timely intervention even when they have very little to work with.

'cos Nigerian doctors are selfish, overrated, do not adhere strictly to their professional ethics, deed and abuse the instrument "strike" which is supposed a last resort. They strike for every and anything.

Janiobi: When you guys starts saving lifes first than bodring about the registration and hospital fees b4 operating on patients then we would care for you guys...Imagine an injured person runing to a nearby hospital to receive care and Died right there cause he had not the money to pay for his treatment,So he was not responded too. W.T.F is going on with doc?

Oga, if d last patient did not pay d doctor then ur injured won't hav any medications to use cos he isn't ready to pay. There is no money. Nobody supports docs.

as a doctor especially in pediatrics, your patients problems becomes yours. when they need blood, doctors donate, pay for drugs for families who are too poor and u call them selfish! wow.

lomaxx:

This is the most irrelevant post on this thread. Are you thinking with your spinal cord or are you deliberately making this up?

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_(title)

I read something like 'Doctors dont head other health workers position' bt i got to undastand dat d present DG for nafdac is a doctor. Ow come?

candy:
You have a really low opinion of Naija doctors! I'm not surprised though-a prophet has no value in his city.
Why are Nigerians rushing to India for treatment? This has little or nothing to do with naija doctors' lack of expertise. Nigerian doctors are well trained and don't shy away from cases. Unfortunately; what will you do if you have no equipments to work with? Equipments that your employer(in most cases the government) should put in place.
You people go about blaming doctors for the increase in medical tourism abroad when your government refused to upgrade, maintain and invest in hospitals.

Unfortunately, when the public is allowed to get involved in addressing opinion towards a certain profession, they most likely would misfire because they know little and next to nothing concerning the mechanics of these things.

Almost nobody wakes up and decides to go to India for treatment. Most of the cases that go to India, And Europe are referrals from our tertiary health institutions mostly due to lack of facilities or expertise in the chosen procedure of treatment.

So what Nigerians should think of is this: If the tertiary health institutions that are supposed to be the last port of call for any Nigerian as regards to healthcare is making most referrals to India, and Europe, something must be wrong somewhere.

Walk into any orthopedic ward in this country and see the tools orthopedic surgeons are using to immobilize fractured limbs. If you have colleagues in Europe, talk to them about fracture immobilization and what they use. If possible, ask for pictures. If you don't weep for this country at the end, I'll modify my post.

GoodBoi1: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctor_(title)

That's not the point. I care less about whoever uses what title. It's a free world, after all.