It was the night of December 22, 2002. I was rushed to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan. I was terribly sick; the hospital had no oxygen as at the time I was admitted, and I was severely low on oxygen. I missed a date with death by a few seconds. I needed a miracle and God showed up — it was a medical miracle.

My packed cell volume (PCV), which is the volume percentage of red blood cells in blood, was at five percent, about seven times less than what was expected. I was medically damaged. I had suffered in the days leading to this eventual admission. I was only 12.

I remember all that pain and trauma like it happened yesterday. The sickness was not all that was wrong; the tears flowing down my strong mother’s eyes broke my spirit. My father braved it all, but I knew he was hurt beyond words. My favourite aunt, was a nurse at UCH, she helped in ways she could, and periodically told me to be strong. She too was torn beyond words. My family was in pain, and I was the cause of it. I blamed myself.

I was one of the eldest children at Otunba Tunwase Children’s Emergency Ward. I was not scared of death, but I was scared of the pain it would put all these people through. The money my parents had spent, the love my siblings had shown, the care my aunt and cousins showered to this dying boy — I was scared of letting all that go to waste. So I fought for my life, and begged that God kept me strong and healthy for them. I survived, thanks to God and his messengers, who were in the form of skilled doctors.
My survival was made possible through the seasoned hands and steady minds of the likes of Professor Yetunde Aken’ova, Dr. Taiwo Kotila and many other medical specialists who beat the conditions of their employment to save lives in Nigeria’s under-served hospitals.

Based on this, and some other social experiences, Nigeria is personal for me; it is not my ambition to see a better Nigeria, it is a calling, a responsibility. So when I am making demands on government and policymakers to act on one issue or the other, I am not being political, I am not trying to be correct, I am just simply asking that they put facilities in place to make Nigerians need fewer miracles.

THE CRISIS ON OUR HANDS

Today, President Muhammadu Buhari is in the United Kingdom, treating an unknown ailment. I want to believe it is not just because he is president. As a former head of state, if he was not president today, and he takes ill, he would most probably go to the same doctors in the UK — because he has little or no faith in our medical system, and then we may not blame him as much as we do today.

But Buhari is really not my worry today. My grouse is with the system that produces his ilk.

There is a crisis in Nigeria’s healthcare system, and for today, my focus will be on the doctors. As far back as 2010, World Bank data have shown that Nigeria has one doctor to 2,531 people. The World Health Organisation prescribes one doctor to 600 people. The likes of Mexico, Mongolia, Australia, United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and even Libya meet the WHO requirement. And many of them do so on the backs of Nigerian doctors abroad.

This means that the Nigerian doctor works at least four times more than his counterpart in any of these countries and earns way less than they do. The numbers are even worse today. We have about one doctor to over 6,000 Nigerians.

There is, therefore, no reason to wonder why a poll conducted by NOI polls and Nigeria Health Watch in 2017 found that 88 percent — almost nine in 10 — Nigerian doctors were actively seeking an opportunity to go abroad to practice. At the time the survey was conducted, a majority of Nigerian doctors were — and are currently — registered for medical exams like PLAB in the UK, USMLE for the United States, MCCE for Canada, AMC for Australia and DHA for Dubai. Most of our best minds are leaving!

5,264 NIGERIAN DOCTORS WORKING IN THE UK

Most recently, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Commonwealth Secretary-General, said 4,795 Nigerian doctors were currently working in the UK. Making specific reference to July, 2017. According to the UK General Medical Council, holding data on doctors in the UK, 5,250 Nigerian doctors were working in the UK as at April 25, 2018.

Checking the same data today, May 5, 2018, that number has grown to 5,264 — an increase of 14 doctors in 10 days. Africa Checks has shown that an average of 12 doctors move to the UK every week! Every seven days — or five working days — 12 Nigeria-trained doctors move to the UK!

After the same order, thousands of Nigerian doctors are working in the US, Canada, Australia, United Arab Emirates, and many other nations of the world. More than half of the 72,000 registered doctors in Nigeria now work abroad.

A LAND WITHOUT DOCTORS

In 2017, a friend of mine, who is a fresh doctor from UCH, told me about his plans to move to Canada by 2018. I attempted convincing him to stay, and was making some progress until I said: “Nigeria needs you”. He laughed and said “Nigeria does not need its own president, so how will Nigeria need him, an ordinary doctor”. This was at the time the president was in the UK for medical care.

Recently, I asked him some questions, and while answering, he said: “What is a doctor doing in Nigeria?”

And that is my question today: What exactly is a doctor doing in Nigeria? When he can get 10 times his Nigerian pay by moving to Canada, US, UK or UAE, to do almost 10 times less work! What exactly is a doctor doing in Nigeria, when the government will call him names, and ask him to respect the Hippocratic oath when the same government has not respected the oath it swore to the people?

What is a doctor doing in Nigeria, when he knows what to do to save a life but is handicapped by the absence of oxygen, blood, sterile needles, and the very basic needs of his profession.

I think of what would have happened to me if the likes of Professor Aken’ova and her team of young doctors were not available that night in December 2002. Your guess is as good as mine. So today, I ask that Nigeria must act, lest she becomes a land without doctors


https://hotproforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1257&p=1781#p1781

Johesu want the same salary scale with Medical Doctors. It's easy to claim entry point distinguishes them but let's look at exit point. A lab Scientist at 55yrs probably now at the highest grade does nothing but order Juniors around, yet a General Surgeon who has put his life on the line still does rigorous calls and theatre sessions at 58yrs. The stupid, insane and unbelievable new demand means that a lab scientist, Nurse and neurosurgeon at the same grade level should earn the same, despite not having the same responsibility, this is a shame, and the Country will pay for considering these Buffon's and clowns called Johesu. Nowhere in the world is this stupidity condoned. The average hourly work rate of each professional the world over can be browsed, in all cases the doctors' comes top.

My advice for Junior doctors is to run as far as ur legs can take u, this is the best time. Don't look back, doctors are hot cake and don't limit yourself to a shithole country.

Peace

Mr Bigiman.

Front page material ooooo!

zhyzhy:
Front page material ooooo!

I'll be damned if this makes front page....

MrBigiman:


Johesu want the same salary scale with Medical Doctors. It's easy to claim entry point distinguishes them but let's look at exit point. A lab Scientist at 55yrs probably now at the highest grade does nothing but order Juniors around, yet a General Surgeon who has put his life on the line still does rigorous calls and theatre sessions at 58yrs. The stupid, insane and unbelievable new demand means that a lab scientist, Nurse and neurosurgeon at the same grade level should earn the same, despite not having the same responsibility, this is a shame, and the Country will pay for considering these Buffon's and clowns called Johesu. Nowhere in the world is this stupidity condoned. The average hourly work rate of each professional the world over can be browsed, in all cases the doctors' comes top.

My advice for Junior doctors is to run as far as ur legs can take u, this is the best time. Don't look back, doctors are hot cake and don't limit yourself to a shithole country.

Peace

Mr Bigiman.

Piss of sh!ts

U are so right on point concerning the post , the day I determined to study medicine was when I had a severe asthmatic attack -: status asthmaticus , I knew I was dying and mum and dad were obviously helpless. Thank God for a doctor beside my house that God used that day , he administered some injections and withing minutes ,it was like a rope was taken off my neck .
I promised myself to know the mystery behinds this.
Thank God I'm a doctors today and on training to become a neurosurgeon , but like earlier stated, I might not be able to replicate the same help for a long time as the health sector in Nigeria is so frustrating. is the low pay we should talk about or hostile working environment!?
I'm one of those that are about to fly , I can't be working and jerking like "nothing else dey" and some people in the name of johesu will be sponsoring bills to be at per. it is better one goes to places where things work .
My advice to all my young colleagues out there , let go out to make money and come back years after to establish group private standard practices: our nurses will stay on the ward to give patients quality nursing cares they deserve, we need dispersers and not pharmacist ( the latter should be on the research field finding formulas to solve medical problem and allow pharmacist technicians to to their work), medical laboratory scientist will process samples in the lab because that is what I'm paying u for., ward assist will stay withing his or her limit .
A reasonable person will leave his or her comfort zone when the comfort zone is no more comfortable!

Babybush:

Piss of sh!ts

Johesu spotted, the bash without a superior argument. If u wanted the same pay as doctors then go and study medicine. Everything in life is graded. Medicine is a tougher course and demands more reward. So it is from US to UK, to Australia, Canada, Ghana, United nations itself, Lesotho, Ghana. Nigeria cannot practice a different system.

rotadeco27:
U are so right on point concerning the post , the day I determined to study medicine was when I had a severe asthmatic attack -: status asthmaticus , I knew I was dying and mum and dad were obviously helpless. Thank God for a doctor beside my house that God used that day , he administered some injections and withing minutes ,it was like a rope was taken off my neck .
I promised myself to know the mystery behinds this.
Thank God I'm a doctors today and on training to become a neurosurgeon , but like earlier stated, I might not be able to replicate the same help for a long time as the health sector in Nigeria is so frustrating. is the low pay we should talk about or hostile working environment!?
I'm one of those that are about to fly , I can't be working and jerking like "nothing else dey" and some people in the name of johesu will be sponsoring bills to be at per. it is better one goes to places where things work .
My advice to all my young colleagues out there , let go out to make money and come back years after to establish group private standard practices: our nurses will stay on the ward to give patients quality nursing cares they deserve, we need dispersers and not pharmacist ( the latter should be on the research field finding formulas to solve medical problem and allow pharmacist technicians to to their work), medical laboratory scientist will process samples in the lab because that is what I'm paying u for., ward assist will stay withing his or her limit .
A reasonable person will leave his or her comfort zone when the comfort zone is no more comfortable!

Please if u find any sense in this post let me no

MrBigiman:


Johesu spotted, the bash without a superior argument. [b][/b]If u wanted the same pay as doctors then go and study medicine. Everything in life is graded. Medicine is a tougher course and demands more reward. So it is from US to UK, to Australia, Canada, Ghana, United nations itself, Lesotho, Ghana. Nigeria cannot practice a different system.

Very very stale

Babybush:
Please if u find any sense in this post let me no

Everything there makes sense to me. Let's leave sentiments and face facts.

Honestly I ask myself this question whenever I visit my private hospital and see the extremely overworked underpaid doctors looking exhausted most of the time. I ask myself that are these doctors aware that all it takes to get them out of this hellhole is to just take a board exam and apply for visa to a first world country where they will get better pay and less workload? What exactly motivaties them to remain in this country? Docs in the house, let's hear from you.

Haba...

Doctors deserve to be treated well. Nigeria is just not ready to do anything worthwhile. Our health care system is Ill structured.

Check my signature if you need a clean website design with no advanced payment

Gbam
God bless OP
Government needs to do something about this, Nigeria is getting worst everyday.
Our health care system is the worst in the world.
Everything is bad in this country

I didn't bother to read because my mind told me the post is a complete trash.

modified: my mind was right afterall. the post is trash

seriously what's with these ish about doctors stay in nigeria, doctors travel to europe, doctors do this,doctors do that. i mean y'all should fvcking stop these nonsense talks. i have two cousin doctors. big working class doctors, one already owns his own hospital at asaba, the other just got married and bought his first house. They are both doing well here.


Stop twisting people's mind with these stupid posts on nairaland.
If you want to work in nigeria as a doctor, good for you.
If you want to travel abroad, good for you too.
Stop giving us unproven facts like 1 doctor to 6000 nigerians, those are all estimates does not mean it is happening in reality.

everyone wants to leave the country if opportuned so what's the biggie about doctors leaving in particular.


if you are a doctor and not comfortable here, take your license & move. Nobody cares

g

lenghtinny:
NMA vs Johesu...

Watch out for part 2

This is not another superiority tug between doctors and othr health personnel. The op never mentioned them because the topic is strictly about doctors. Let's stick to topic please

I was discussing with some of my colleagues today.
What are we doing here?
Looking back at the thread of things in Nigeria.
Till Sometimes around late 80s and early 90s the on thread was to start your own hospital after NYSC or work as Medical officers.
Gradually the drive for residency training program started growing and having more medical schools gives the consultant cadre much job so residency training became lucrative
Onset of Conmess and all the adjustment makes Residency training almost the only career path that Nigeria doctors know.
Sadly in 2014 when the then minister of health and some 'medical elders' asked the Presidency to sack the resident doctors, this move reactivated our brains and we started searching for an environment that is more rewarding and less depressive like Nigeria health sector. Many people that has been seeking to move before then also hasten up their processes. I remember someone on Nairaland that time sent a documents to us on how to qualify for practice in about 48countries, UK,us,Canada and Australia inclusive.
And then comes intense hatred and fight by Johessu worsening the poor working conditions.

Medical students no longer plan to practice in Nigeria, they have started writing qualifying exams to practice in US UK etc immediately after their Induction. Any other place apart from Nigeria.
What are we still doing Here?
Brain drain we are seeing now is just a tip of the iceberg compare to what is to come.
Just last week 2 professor of medicine and two other senior consultant independently confided in my that they are planning to relocate

Those countries Nigerian doctors run to can't accommodate an infinite number of doctors continuously pouring in from Nigeria. When it gets to saturation point Nigerian doctors will find something doing in Nigeria by force.

Saving life with the hands of course!

Heart breaking issues that make one think what wrong did we do to deserve this sHiTtt

For a longtime, a writeup without grammatical blunders. Makes for pleasant reading.

They are only after money. This is a sponsored post by Nigerian union of medical doctors

Always complaining yet lavishing in mediocrity, silent killers, prescribing wrong drugs, frequent strikes for pay and prestridge, it's time y'all leave. Go, we will get aid and humanitarian doctors working here in the interim, surely they will save more lives than you are presently doing