styrax:

@beneli
_{We share common interest in entering nigeria's hmo scene, i have this novel idea that might interest you}

beneli:

I am all ears eyes.

styrax:

Doing things a little differently, using help of technology to make health available for subscribers while "roaming" using programmable EMV compliant smartcards that have sizable memory to contain holder's biodata, detailed medical history and secure link to extended medical records and imaging on hosted servers.

So instead of declaring primary care providers, subscribers can walk into any participating care provider and be attended to without being subjected to rigor of extensive clarking and what-not, also will help to reduce frauds in claims by care providers and the rest of that.

Just acquired the necessary hardware and did extensive software coding to bring up a unique solution for nigeria health care and insurance. I quite understand, similar things are being used extensively in europe especially germany and france.

Of course can go into too much details than this, otherwise i will be sounding like a nerd.

so what sayeth thou?

beneli:

I think you are on to something here, my friend.

First question: Is the idea/product 'patentable'? If so try to secure it as your Intellectual Property with the Nigerian Patent Office that way you won't be worried that somebody else will run to the banks with it!

Am i interested? I think i am. There is something in your idea that is very useful. We need to obviously sit down and work out what is workable in the Nigerian terrain and what is not. I am still trying to get through the hurdles of getting a HMO registered. I am stuck in the form-buying stage. I should be in Naija early next year to push on a little more. Unfortunately the crises in the banking sector has put me back several months because the product i have (which also is novel and therefore patented) has a lot to do with the banks.

What next then you may ask? I suggest that you get the product registered as an Intellectual Property, so that when we start to talk we will be talking as equals. When i registered my product it cost me about 60k in Naira.

What sayeth thou ?(i like that phrase, so i apologise for borrowing it from you. I didn't plan to steal your mojo or anything!)

PS: Where are u based?

butter:

I'm a dentist, been practicing for awhile now, I'm thinking of getting an mph via long distance educ. online from the university of Liverpool. now i know from this forum that opportunities exist for mph holders in NGOs, WHO etc, but discussions here would seem to suggest that an mph suits medical doctors rather than dentists. is this true?,

butter:

also I've gone though the curriculum and contacted the enrollment adviser who assured me that there's literary no difference between the on campus and online course, i must admit though, I'm a bit skeptical, do we know of anyone who has gotten an mph online and does the online nature of the program "depreciates" the degree so to speak.

butter:

thirdly are there any scholarships for mph programs that one can access?

allycat:

Now back to my hobby horse, Private Medical practice in Nigeria. I have just spent the last 2 weeks in India on a visit to an Indian hospital. I accompanied an ill relative and this visit reinforces what I have always felt about PP in medicine. It is our only saviour. On the street the hospital is there are over20 hospitals all privately owned and the average hospital reminds me of Eko hospital or Havana, about 4 storeys each. This does not include clinics which are smaller. They all have patients and because of competition are affordable to their country men. The doctors work hard. Typically surgery starts at 6.30 am and they close at 7pm with a break of about 3 hours for lunch. Cos I am a colleague they were glad to discuss their system with me and everything they said made it apparent that we need to look more at private practice. The issue of Nigerians depending on Government to run hospitals where a grade level 12 officer that never smelt the gates of medical school decides which equipment you have doesn't occur. I tell you that if more doctors in nija go into pp to give quality service and are ready to work hard and not cut corners you wont believe how much advances we will make. Right now its 8pm and I am in the hospitals library which will dust some teaching hospitals departmental libraries in Nija hands down.

Anchuna:

[b]To all doctors in the house: Since 1994 I have been suffering from malaria parasite; for 16yrs now, it has been my greatest problem and it is really killing. Anytime I go to the hospital, malaria parasite is always diagnosed and malaria drugs always prescribed but after taking those drugs my condition still remain the same, I still feel sick with malaria; body pain, muscle ache, body weakness etc. My concern is, why are those drugs not working for me, why should I be treated and barely a week later still be diagnosed with MP. I have taken all sorts of drugs prescribed by doctors but to no avail. The sickness from this malaria parasite is affecting my productivity at work, my studies, my everything. Please, doctors try and help me, save life.

sorry dear for the repeated ailment.you never stated if you had gone for a laboratory test for malaria parasite.I will advise you to visit your doctor and request for full investigations.just dont narrow yourself to malaria.it could be something else.just consult a doctor and if possible a physcician.good luck.

Anchuna:

To all doctors in the house: Since 1994 I have been suffering from malaria parasite; for 16yrs now, it has been my greatest problem and it is really killing. Anytime I go to the hospital, malaria parasite is always diagnosed and malaria drugs always prescribed but after taking those drugs my condition still remain the same, I still feel sick with malaria; body pain, muscle ache, body weakness etc. My concern is, why are those drugs not working for me, why should I be treated and barely a week later still be diagnosed with MP. I have taken all sorts of drugs prescribed by doctors but to no avail. The sickness from this malaria parasite is affecting my productivity at work, my studies, my everything. Please, doctors try and help me, save life.

daguru:

I made a seemingly crazy decision early last year.I am still wondering if i made the right call (Plz be patient and read thru my story.It spans the last 6 yrs of my life

Some Background Info
==================
Always wanted to be an engineer. This dream spanned my whole primary school days ranging from Automobile Engineering to Chemical, then Electrical, then Systems Engineering and Finally Electrical Electronics Engineering.

Ive never been a book worm but never had issues with school work. Came first in class from primary 1 till ss3 (plz dont doubt me).I only studied when it was time for exams but played like hell in between.

A wrong turn
============
I am the second son.My dad always wanted my elder bro to become a doc. So he spent a lot on his personal education so he could secure admission to study medicine preferably at the University of Ibadan. After the fourth jamb with my bro never scoring above a 250 (in those days cut of marks for medicine was like 290), there was a lot of unhappiness in the house.

Ma bro felt ma dad hated him so much so he RAN AWAY FROM HOME FOR CLOSE TO A YEAR.

This was in 2002.I was in ss3 and was getting ready to write jamb.(Already had A's and B's in GCE i wrote in ss2). One evening my dad had a heart attack after hearing reports of what his first son had become outside of home. That when i felt this strong need to do something about the situation.

My Bro finally came back home with some elders to reconcile with ma dad. It turned out that the bone of contention between them was TO OR NOT TO BECOME A DOCTOR.

Thats when i stepped out and offered to drop my dreams of becoming an engineer for medicine. My reasoning then was that IF ALL MEDICINE REQUIRES WAS SOMEONE GOOD AT STUDING AND PASSING EXAMS THEN I AM UP TO THE TASK.

Ive always hated biology cuz i felt it was not enough of a mental challenge compared to physics, chemistry and further mathematics. So had to buy mordern biology and study it cover to cover. (THIS WAS MY FIRST REAL ACADEMIC CHALLENGE,  having just 1 month to master a subject i had a huge distaste for)

WROTE JAMB AND SCORED 286. I HAVE NEVER SEEN MY DAD HAPPIER. From then on, he treated me like a king. His health rapidly improved. I felt i made the right choice.

I made merit list at the University of Ibadan while my bro got admitted to study materials and metallurgical engineering at FUTO.


AN UNFORTUNATE INCIDENT
====================
On my way to admission clearance i was involved in a fatal Road Traffic Accident on Lagos Ibadan ExpressWay. People died but i survived not without spending the next six months at UCH, Had a plastic surgery for my face and Metal Implants to fix my 2 thighs.
Had to defer my admission so lost one year.

On the brighter side, this gave me the opportunity to study first hand the profession i was about to go into.
TOO BAD, ALL I OBSERVED WAS EVERYTHING I DIDNT WANT FOR MYSELF.

During a cons ward round, my consultant Mr Omololu, realising i was soon to jion the ranks as a medical student asked me why i wanted to become a doctor.
I cant remember my response but he ended it was with a sarcastic remark about me wanting to sacrifice the next 15 years of my life without knowing why.

HIS REMARK CHANGED EVERYTHING. From that moment i hated thinking of my self as a doctor. This made me think seriously about hatching an escape plan.

NO GOING BACK
===============
I resumed UI as a 100 level student whose sole aim for the year is to leave medical school at all cost. This made me register all the maths courses engineering students take (1st year medical students don't take any maths course). I found out that i needed to make a firstclass in my 100 level to stand a chance of being accepted into the faculty of technology. So i studied hard to to achieve that

One morning, after a lecture, my name was announced on the PA that my attention was needed at UCH (thats where the faculty HQ is located). On getting there i was asked to see the faculty officer.
He looked at me with a lot of anger in his eyes (After throwing my course form at me). He thought i made a mistake by including maths courses on my course form.

when i explained that it was intentional and that i didn't want to study medicine anymore, He thought i was joking. He finally told that ONCE A PERSON BECOMES A MEDICAL STUDENT AT UCH, ITS EITHER HE PASSES OUT OR FAILS OUT. and that what i am trying to do is so strange that no room has been built for that possibility in the college system.

he ended with saying that there is nothing he can do for me in that regard that i have not choice but to cancel the registered maths course.

After days of depression, i decided to TIPEX it off my course form without removing it at maths department. I returned it back to him and i had outsmarted an old baurocratic system.


A BIG SHOCKER
===============
i finished 100 level with a 6.7 CGPA.(UI uses a 7 point grade system) and scoring overall highest in 2 of the 3 maths courses. I hurriedly purchased the change of course form, filled it then took me it to see the HOD of Elect/Elect. He was more fatherly than expected. He understood my reasons for wanting to leave medical school. After taking me to see the dean, they both agreed to and signed me into Elect/Elect. I WAS OVERJOYED.

Then i went back to see the faculty officer so they sign me out of medicine. He was shocked at my stubbornness. He told me it was beyond him and if i only had a chance if had the BACKING OF THE PROVOST.

I SPENT THE NEXT ONE MONTH TRYING TO GET THE ATTENTION OF THE PROVOST. Everyday i spent no less than 5 hours in his secretary's office waitng to for my turn to see him. He was either out of the country or having long meetings with important people. I wrote countless letters which i droped with his driver and secretary but none got to hime.

I finnaly got my chance. He impatiently listened to me for 5mins.Thank God for his secretary who intervened when he thot i was wasting his time.

HE TOLD ME WHAT I WAS ABOUT TO DO WAS STRANGE. He couldn't understand why i was throwing away what Old men and Women come to him to lobby for (to get their kids into med school). he asked if my parents were aware of what i was trying to do. My answer was no.

His conclusion was that hje would only give it a serious thot when i bring my father to come see him (VERY VERY IMPOSSIBLE).

Didnt have the strenght to continue the fight so i backed down

A FRUSTRATED MEDICAL STUDENT
==========================
I resumed pre-clinicals a frustrated guy. Nothing made sense to me. Never went for dissections, Physio or BIC practicals.
I soon stopped attending lectures. After woefully failing 2 class test, coupled with the ridicule from my mates about my academic abilities, i decided to buckle up.
I never went to classes. All i did was study hard for upcoming test. with this strategy i was able to score highest in some tests

THE EXIT PLAN
=============
Most of u would have been wondering why i didn't write another jamb. I couldnt cuz i was pretty sure no one would sponsor my education if i tried anything like that. Everyone i talked to couldn't understand y i wanted to leave med school. all they did was paint pictures of how comfortable i would be after graduations. I knew how untrue this was.

So to leave medical school i had to
a) Become financially independent ,  This was no easy task. I Fell in love with IT along the way but couldnt raise funds to go to NIIT. Had to learn the hard way by self study. I currently have a CCNP)

B) Figure out how to deal with all the hell my dad would bring my way.

FINAL MOVE
==============
Soon it was time for mb part 1. I studied half hardheartedly for it. Did the written papers quite well but failed to show up for my viva voce (Oral Exams).
3 wks later, college of medicine wrote to me asking me to explain withing 1 wk why i didnt show up for my Orals. The also sent a copy if it to my dad (listed as my Next of Kin). Unfortunately my dad go his before i got mine. ALL HELL WAS LET LOOSE.

WOULDN'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE HELL I WENT THRU. But i stood by my decision.

CONCLUSION
=============
Currently freelancing with my IT skills. Brings in enough mONEY for my fee, food accommodation, education etc. (But sometimes i still wished i had someone to fall back on when tins gets difficult financially.

Ironically, I switched to psychology after i was thrown out of med school. Also studying to become a chartered accountant (Writing ACCA and CIMA).

EVERY MORNING I WAKE UP WONDERING IF I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION.