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. All of these happened mid night and the doctor was present again very early the next morning. I was forced to ask the doctor "oga when do you rest", he smiled and said "it's part of the training". I must say the input of other health professionals was minimal. I was amazed.
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.

THE JOHESU BROUHAHA ....... MY PERSONAL OPINION

Commenting on a topic, "most preferred course of choice in Nigerian Universities". According to the write up, medicine came first as the most preferred choice even though it is only offered by about 34 of the about 124 universities in Nigeria. Most contributors gave different reasons why it is most preferred, ranging from renumeration and prestige to excellence.
My own contribution viz; "From the comments made by contributors, it seems most people appreciate the fact that medicine is one of the most sensitive (I am trying to avoid the word "most difficult" course of study in our tertiary institution largely because it deals with human life and the uncertainties (one is not sure if he will eventually become a doctor or not), even the best students in first year could be withdrawn the following year. When I was in school, over 400 of us gained admission to study medicine but less than 120 of us who gained admission together graduated. It is also a known fact that after several attempts at entering medical school, most students eventually settle for related courses like Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nursing, Physiotherapy, pharmacy (Note that a good number of students also choose these courses as their first choice course ab initio).
Having stated the above, it is crass injustice for someone who knew from the beginning that he could not study medicine (for reasons best known to him, be it academic challenges, time spent in the training amongst others) to now realize that the name "doctor" is dignifying, and hence, desires to be called doctor(and or consultant) because he works in a tertiary institution and has garnered some years of experience. This is comparable to technologists who refer to themselves as engineers simply because they know how to assemble machines. What matters most is the qualification and not the number of years spent assisting a medical doctor.
I support that health care workers can and should aspire to whatever they want and to whatever extent. They can still be called doctors. All they need do is complete a masters degree program and a PhD. I know some Nurses who are professors, same with pharmacists. In the USA states of Arizona, and some other states, it is an offense to address yourself as "doctor" if you are not a medical doctor without stating your profession immediately( there should be no room for patients to assume you are a medical doctor when you are not). Let me emphasize that a doctor will never fight to head a pharmaceutical company. We all knew what we wanted before we wrote UME(JAMB) .... This short cut approach must be rejected. I was in Microbiology 300L when I got admission into 100L medicine, I knew what I wanted. I had classmates who were nurses, medical lab scientist, who wanted to become doctors; they took UME again.
Renumeration of doctors should not be compared to any other allied health profession. Google is our friend and we can always ask. Is there anywhere in the world where pharmacists, medical lab scientists, nurses and others earn the same renumeration? If there is any, please let me know.
It is quite unfortunate to see the pharmacists I once respected stoop so low, finding themselves in the nexus of abhorrent disgruntled elements of disappointed and frustrated persons fighting against not only medical doctors but themselves (because they are reducing the practice of pharmacy to drug dispensing). What happened to industrial pharmacy, what happened to drug formulation and research? I was once envious of a classmate who later became a pharmacist. While I was still doing my internship, she was done with hers(no thanks to our extended academic calendar of 6+X years as against hers of fixed 5 years), she was working in a pharmaceutical company, earning a fat salary, had an official car and a driver. Her renumeration and job description was very good and juicy, but that is her calling not for a medical doctor.
In every strata of life, in every team, there is always a leader, one leader, that's why we have only one pope, only one Nigerian president, only one state governor, only one captain and indeed only one chief medical director (who must be a doctor) which must be earned and not gotten through the back door.
Note that only doctors have been appointed Director General of WHO since inception, yet we have other health workers who work for WHO. The present Director General, Margaret Chan should be an inspiration to JOHESU members because she was a home economics teacher before going back to school to study medicine.
My sincere advise to JOHESU is to lead by example, they should propose an arrangement that gives health workers(apart from medical doctors) equal rights viz; the pharmacy technicians should be allowed to head the pharmacy department, auxiliary nurses and B.Sc. nurses should be paid exactly the same salary and have the same type of promotions(since they can all administer injections and dress wounds), laboratory technicians should be allowed to be the assistant head of a laboratory departments assisting a consultant pathologist. If they can successfully implement the above for 5 to 10 years, and the model works perfectly well, then maybe the federal government can look into their request.
Indeed the patient care should be a team work involving the pharmacist, laboratory scientist, nurses with medical doctors at the centre. Any attempt to take the sole responsibility way from the medical doctor will lead to chaos and serious disaster.
I must confess, the turn of events in recent years is not encouraging, it has a most negative effect on the already brain drain that has plagued the Nigerian health sector, what they should be fighting for(collectively, doctors inclusive) should be how to increase the slots for residency training, better renumeration and welfare package across board,how to promote research and get scholarships to further enhance skills and build career, cooperate with doctors to ease the admission of their children into medical school so that their desire can come into fruition. I believed in our generation, we must fight together, my friends who are pharmacist, physiotherapist and nurses know we are not the same, their "ogas" should stop the Tom and Jerry display of ignorance and comic. Yes, I respect them, I respect every other health worker, they have their role which must be respected and indeed the best patient outcome is in team work.
The reason that doctors go on strike in order to increase private patronage is not only myopic but a serious neurological deficit on the part of those who have such reasoning. What will you say when pharmacist and lab scientists go on strike, where do patients buy drugs from( they don't only go on strike, but they frustrate the effort of anyone who choose to deliver care by switching of power generators, hiding surgical instruments, locking up stores amongst others). Yes, most doctors have private hospitals in order to meet the increasing demands in the health sector but pharmacist and others also own pharmacy shops and laboratories, committing the most heinous crimes of consulting, examining and treating patients in their shops which is not designated for such, oh what a lawless nation. Most patients have worsened their clinical condition and indeed died from such crimes. Permit me to call their act genocide of the highest order towards Nigerians.
On this note, I appeal to the federal government to call a spade a spade, to consider the sufferings of the poor patients and do the needful. Medical doctors and indeed the patients deserve more than this ill treatment.

Long live NARD
Long live NMA.
Long live the Federal republic of Nigeria.


Dr Eilojie Omobude
MBChB.
Immediate Past ASG ARD, UBTH.
Former NiMSA president




References:
1. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/02/health/policy/02docs.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
2. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization#Governance_and_support
3. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brock_Chisholm
4. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshi_Nakajima
5. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gro_Harlem_Brundtland Former prime minister of Norway
6. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Jong-wook
7. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anders_Nordström
8. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Chan
9. http://www.forbes.com/pictures/efkk45hlhe/no-1-best-paying-job-anesthesiologists/
10. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/9834351/Best-paid-jobs-in-the-UK.html?frame=2465310
11. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johns_Hopkins_Hospital#Dean.2F_CEO_of_Johns_Hopkins_Medicine
12. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harsh_Vardhan_(Delhi_politician)
13. https://www.nairaland.com/1800627/most-preferred-courses-nigerian-universities
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Chan

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

..

Well... The truth is no one hates something without having a reason for doing so.. The same way you commended dat doctor who treated your sister, there is someone out there who dislikes them due to some experience too. I'm not against any profession in any way but the state of the country has led to this... There is really no right side or wrong side to this but i stand for justice and fairness...everyone has a role to play in d development of Nigeria, from d economists to the doctors to the accountant to the engineers.. Its good that they fight for their rights but they shud remember that they are not the only ones "suffering" in this country

Welcome to NL.
.
I came across the role of a CMD and I discovered that its not exclusively for the Physicians.
.
I therefore suggest that name be changed, the ACT ammended and made open to all.

Front page material.

The public has been so misinformed or does not know the difference between a doctor or nurse(esp male nurses), pharmacist, chemist, lab scientist or technician or due to lack of guidance that they go to chemist stores for treatment when they are ill.

It's a common thing to now see chemist stores hanging stethoscopes in a bid to deceive people into believing they can diagnose and dispense drugs to them and some of them end up worsening the condition of this unfortunate Nigerians before referring them to see the doctors . Some even die in the process.

The public needs to be educated on how the health care system works and health workers should also know their job designation and educate and guide the citizens aright.

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. All of these happened mid night and the doctor was present again very early the next morning. I was forced to ask the doctor "oga when do you rest", he smiled and said "it's part of the training". I must say the input of other health professionals was minimal. I was amazed.
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

. Unfortunately I am just seeing this. The stream of responses u have gotten will only buttress your initial position that doctors are seen as devil's incarnate by other healthcare workers all because in the scheme of affairs as it is now,they are considered the leader. As for the general populace,their positions are influenced largely by ignorance and partly by jealously( among the educated ones). I have read a few sincere positions by educated fellow(I won't forget the one by that engineer). But you know what, the government is the culprit promoting anarchy in the system by being unassertive and allowing itself 2 be coerced by an amorphous body called JOHESU. For me , the government should take the bull by the horn, dismiss everybody and issues fresh appointments atating the duties and career progression of each discipline. In that way,there would be no unneccessary agitations or accusations of unfairness in appointments . If other people thinks the 'oliver twist' of doctors are too much( by canvassing that order/ sanity must be maintained in the health sector as this is the summary of NMA 24 points agenda),the university is still opened for interested people who want 2 become doctors. I know a pharmacist who is now a professor of radiotherapy,a branch of medicine). Finally,a walk round the hospital will show who contributes most quota 2 patient's care, whether it is the nurse who works for 6 hours in a day and gets time off( or rather works for 12hour ,their night shift for week and then gets another one week off) or the pharmacist who never sees the patient, merely dispenses the drug. Perhaps it is the cleaner who cleans the theatre after a 12- hour surgery by the doctor. These are the issues....