₦airaland Forum

For this #TheWinkChallenge, I tell another woman’s story. She is unable to speak on this platform herself.

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Matthew is dead. Or did he really die? Can anyone say with certainty that he died before he was buried 6 feet under mother earth?

We will never know.

I fear we have lost Lona too. She agreed to family planning and child spacing before – against her husband – Mark’s wishes.

Mark figures that the more children he has, the better for his farm and family prosperity. Mark constantly bemoans the cost of paying farmhands to work on large tracts of land; manually cultivating yams. He married Lona after his first wife’s first child died and she gave birth to a sickly second child.

Lona looks lost and overwhelmed. Despite her best efforts, Matthew died. Now, she must get pregnant as soon as possible or risk her husband’s wrath.

But, her story is not peculiar. They had rushed Matthew to the hospital. After three days, with no improvements, they were referred to the FMC. There was no ambulance provision to convey them to the FMC…

Mark borrowed money to pay the bills in the first hospital… and while arranging for transport, the child died.

Or so they thought. There was no confirmation of death. They did not stop to think that perhaps the child only fainted , was in a coma or any of the other medically plausible reasons that could make a person stop breathing even while still alive.

They simply went home and buried the child.

When I heard this story, I was furious; I wanted to slap everyone – the parents and relatives that buried the child; without reaching FMC – at least to confirm that truly Matthew died.

Until I looked at grieving Lona and realised that without education, I could have been Lona.

Lona cannot read and write and does not have a phone. She gets beneficial health information from rare contacts with healthcare workers visiting the village.

So, I calmed down quickly and resolved to continue with advocacy for #UHC4AllNigerians which is a subset of the #HealthForAll goal; to keep advocating for and working for much needed changes; one community at a time.


https://thewcommunity.com/boy-died-true-life-story-thewinkchallenge/

This is my submission for the #TheWinkChallenge. Beyond the competition however, the need to raise awareness about why we need #UHC4AllNigerians i.e. Universal Health Coverage for all Nigerians is the driving force. Every child, woman and man in this country needs to be able to have access to basic healthcare services without having to borrow money or go bankrupt. For more information on how to join in the advocacy as well as help... reply to this thread or email me...

I used to think like you at a time, dear OP. Until I had a terrible experience with a Malaria misdiagnosis and the very hospital system which I believed in failed me.

Now, I work as an advocate for #UHC4AllNigerians with the belief that the change we need can only happen One Community at a Time.

In my work, I have learnt a lot of things from the villagers and I am learning that until we address the fundamental rot in the system, a lot of things will not change.

Patients do not present promptly to the hospital because of extremely high Out of Pocket costs . You are right to talk about a need for reforms in the National Health Insurance Scheme's running template. Until that happens though, I believe we will get some gains if we as healthcare workers continue to do all in our power to help the system work

Do not blame the person who bought cows to celebrate the naming ceremony of the baby... A lot of times, people prefer to borrow you money for parties instead of borrowing you money for paying healthcare bills. The logic they have is that there are no guarantees that the treatment would work and they can ask for their money back. But, for a party, the investment is usually recouped even before the party is over.

Don't forget parties and celebrations satisfy a very vital need on the Abraham Maslow's hierachy of needs...

I hope you will consider joining the #UHC4AllNigerians drive. It simply means advocating for and supporting efforts to ensure that Universal HealthCoverage For all Nigerians become a reality. Thank you.

There is an ill wind blowing in the Nigerian Health sector, it is this destructive battle for supremacy that has meant that healthcare professionals in Nigeria can not work as a team. But , are instead fighting and preventing the prompt and appropriate care of patients in the hospitals.

I have just read a letter purportedly from the NMA that really disappoints me and makes me wonder when Nigerian doctors will recognize that Nigerians have already lost faith in the Nigerian healthcare sector and have resorted to India et al for their healthcare. Even those who can not afford India make the Herbal medicine practitioners their first point of call.

This weekend is a really busy one for me, therefore I will copy and paste a response to one malicious letter by a Dr Paul John. God willing I will have more time to talk on the Nigerian healthcare sector in the coming week.

For all those who do not want peace and progress in the Nigerian healthcare sector; this is your last warning- REPENT before the people begin to call down Holy Ghost fire on you! Enough is Enough

Here is the response by Mrs Elechi. I do not know the Dr Paul John but given the fact that the NMA claims they are using his letter as a template, then I guess Mrs Elechi's response has also become a response to the NMA. Nigeria will survive ...

Dear Dr Paul John,

I have, over time, read your comments on JOHESU, NMA and the Nigerian health sector in general. While I commend your zeal in defending and projecting the image of your profession, I must not also fail to state that at every point in time you have advanced the same reasoning. This, to an educated mind, means that your knowledge of the health sector is rather shallow. More so, you are very biased in your analysis, which is a mark of mediocrity, and not professionalism as you claim.

I have reached the conclusion that you need to be properly tutored on matters concerning the health sector in Nigerian. Let me start the lecture by enlightening your perhaps confused mind on what a profession is. While I will oblige you the privilege of searching your dictionary for the definition of the same, I would like to use this medium to educate you on the characteristic features of any profession, viz,

1. There must be a Regulatory/Licensing Agency. You know we have a good number of them regulating each profession, including Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria(MLSCN), Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Pharmacist Council of Nigeria(PCN), Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria(MDCN), Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria, etc.

2. There must be a national professional Association. Some of them in Nigeria include Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria(AMLSN), Nigeria Dental Association, etc

3. There must be a body of rules or Ethics to guide practitioners.

4. There must be areas of specialty in the profession.

5. The profession must have a body of knowledge unique to its practice.

You may wish to convince Nigerians of the lack of the above among the different health professions in Nigeria. Otherwise,it will be wise for you to accept the fact that there are so many professions in the health sector, including Medical Laboratory Science, Pharmacy, Optometry, Physiotherapy, Radiography, Nursing, Dentistry, Medicine&Surgery, Dietetics&Nutrition, and so on. If this is so, then you erred in your comparison of the Ministry of Health to the Ministry of Justice. While the Ministry of Justice has just one set of professionals( Lawyers) doing the work of delivering justice ( Accountants, Engineers, Architects, etc, in this Ministry do not contribute to court processes or any legal requirement for client care), the Ministry of Health cannot boast of just one set of professionals who can do the work of patient care. Doctors alone cannot deliver healthcare; it is a team work.I hope this has helped to clear your confusion.

You also stated that “the Act establishing tertiary hospitals made it clear that the Chief Medical Director or Medical Director must be a Fellow of either the National PostGraduate Medical College or the West African College of Surgeons/Physicians”. It is an offence in law to twist the provisions of an Act of Parliament the way you did. This is why you have twisted the provisions in Section 1(2)(e) of Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, which states that the Board is to “regulate clinical laboratory practical in the area of pathology”. Over time you have interpreted it to say “practice”in stead of “practical”. This is an offence in law.

For the benefit of better understanding, Section 5(2) of Teaching Hospital Act U15 LFN, 2004 ( or Decree 10 of 1985), the very Act you twisted, provides that “the Chief Medical Director shall be (a) be a person who is medically qualified and registered as such for a period of not less than twelve years, and has considerable administrative experience in matters of health and holds a postgraduate medical qualification obtained not less than five years prior to the appointment as Chief Medical Director”. Notice that no mention was made of your colleges. Furthermore, the Act itself did not define what it meant by being “medically qualified”. It is therefore clear that, pending judicial pronouncement, the meaning to be ascribed to this provision, should be that the post of CMD is an administrative position, not clinical, which should be occupied by a health professional that has a postgraduate qualification. Evidences abound in advanced countries where non-doctors are CEOs of hospitals or Ministers of Health, and their health systems are working perfectly well, that Nigerians run to them for healthcare. Even the hospital where you work is a classical case of mismanagement of our health system. Does it not bother you that your type of health professionals, have continuously mismanaged our hospitals? All you care is to occupy a position. It is in deed shameful.

You rightly said that our laws are both written and rigid. If so, why twist it? I will also oblige you the privilege of checking your dictionary for the meaning of the term “consultant”. There is a judgement from the National Industrial Court (NIC), which restored consultancy status to other health professionals. While you and your colleagues have bluntly refused to obey this judgement you have quickly obtained skipping of a salary grade level as contained in that judgement. While the former does not appeal to you, the latter has become useful to you. This is a clear case of greed and injustice, the very problem bedevilling our health sector and orchestrated by your type.

I would advice you to channel your energy into championing for a better health system, where justice, equity and professionalism shall reign, and in which patient care is our ultimate goal in stead of churning out these publications that are more fallacious than factual. Things won’t remain the way they are now; changes would occur. I hope you are ready for that change.

Meanwhile, you can tell us what you think about the recent NIC judgements in cases between Medical Laboratory Scientists and Pathologists.

Elechi


Copied...

There is an ill wind blowing in the Nigerian Health sector, it is this destructive battle for supremacy that has meant that healthcare professionals in Nigeria can not work as a team. But , are instead fighting and preventing the prompt and appropriate care of patients in the hospitals.

I have just read a letter purportedly from the NMA that really disappoints me and makes me wonder when Nigerian doctors will recognize that Nigerians have already lost faith in the Nigerian healthcare sector and have resorted to India et al for their healthcare. Even those who can not afford India make the Herbal medicine practitioners their first point of call.

This weekend is a really busy one for me, therefore I will copy and paste a response to one malicious letter by a Dr Paul John. God willing I will have more time to talk on the Nigerian healthcare sector in the coming week.

For all those who do not want peace and progress in the Nigerian healthcare sector; this is your last warning- REPENT before the people begin to call down Holy Ghost fire on you! Enough is Enough

Here is the response by Mrs Elechi. I do not know the Dr Paul John but given the fact that the NMA claims they are using his letter as a template, then I guess Mrs Elechi's response has also become a response to the NMA. Nigeria will survive ...

Dear Dr Paul John,

I have, over time, read your comments on JOHESU, NMA and the Nigerian health sector in general. While I commend your zeal in defending and projecting the image of your profession, I must not also fail to state that at every point in time you have advanced the same reasoning. This, to an educated mind, means that your knowledge of the health sector is rather shallow. More so, you are very biased in your analysis, which is a mark of mediocrity, and not professionalism as you claim.

I have reached the conclusion that you need to be properly tutored on matters concerning the health sector in Nigerian. Let me start the lecture by enlightening your perhaps confused mind on what a profession is. While I will oblige you the privilege of searching your dictionary for the definition of the same, I would like to use this medium to educate you on the characteristic features of any profession, viz,

1. There must be a Regulatory/Licensing Agency. You know we have a good number of them regulating each profession, including Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria(MLSCN), Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Pharmacist Council of Nigeria(PCN), Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria(MDCN), Radiographers Registration Board of Nigeria, etc.

2. There must be a national professional Association. Some of them in Nigeria include Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria(AMLSN), Nigeria Dental Association, etc

3. There must be a body of rules or Ethics to guide practitioners.

4. There must be areas of specialty in the profession.

5. The profession must have a body of knowledge unique to its practice.

You may wish to convince Nigerians of the lack of the above among the different health professions in Nigeria. Otherwise,it will be wise for you to accept the fact that there are so many professions in the health sector, including Medical Laboratory Science, Pharmacy, Optometry, Physiotherapy, Radiography, Nursing, Dentistry, Medicine&Surgery, Dietetics&Nutrition, and so on. If this is so, then you erred in your comparison of the Ministry of Health to the Ministry of Justice. While the Ministry of Justice has just one set of professionals( Lawyers) doing the work of delivering justice ( Accountants, Engineers, Architects, etc, in this Ministry do not contribute to court processes or any legal requirement for client care), the Ministry of Health cannot boast of just one set of professionals who can do the work of patient care. Doctors alone cannot deliver healthcare; it is a team work.I hope this has helped to clear your confusion.

You also stated that “the Act establishing tertiary hospitals made it clear that the Chief Medical Director or Medical Director must be a Fellow of either the National PostGraduate Medical College or the West African College of Surgeons/Physicians”. It is an offence in law to twist the provisions of an Act of Parliament the way you did. This is why you have twisted the provisions in Section 1(2)(e) of Medical and Dental Practitioners Act, which states that the Board is to “regulate clinical laboratory practical in the area of pathology”. Over time you have interpreted it to say “practice”in stead of “practical”. This is an offence in law.

For the benefit of better understanding, Section 5(2) of Teaching Hospital Act U15 LFN, 2004 ( or Decree 10 of 1985), the very Act you twisted, provides that “the Chief Medical Director shall be (a) be a person who is medically qualified and registered as such for a period of not less than twelve years, and has considerable administrative experience in matters of health and holds a postgraduate medical qualification obtained not less than five years prior to the appointment as Chief Medical Director”. Notice that no mention was made of your colleges. Furthermore, the Act itself did not define what it meant by being “medically qualified”. It is therefore clear that, pending judicial pronouncement, the meaning to be ascribed to this provision, should be that the post of CMD is an administrative position, not clinical, which should be occupied by a health professional that has a postgraduate qualification. Evidences abound in advanced countries where non-doctors are CEOs of hospitals or Ministers of Health, and their health systems are working perfectly well, that Nigerians run to them for healthcare. Even the hospital where you work is a classical case of mismanagement of our health system. Does it not bother you that your type of health professionals, have continuously mismanaged our hospitals? All you care is to occupy a position. It is in deed shameful.

You rightly said that our laws are both written and rigid. If so, why twist it? I will also oblige you the privilege of checking your dictionary for the meaning of the term “consultant”. There is a judgement from the National Industrial Court (NIC), which restored consultancy status to other health professionals. While you and your colleagues have bluntly refused to obey this judgement you have quickly obtained skipping of a salary grade level as contained in that judgement. While the former does not appeal to you, the latter has become useful to you. This is a clear case of greed and injustice, the very problem bedevilling our health sector and orchestrated by your type.

I would advice you to channel your energy into championing for a better health system, where justice, equity and professionalism shall reign, and in which patient care is our ultimate goal in stead of churning out these publications that are more fallacious than factual. Things won’t remain the way they are now; changes would occur. I hope you are ready for that change.

Meanwhile, you can tell us what you think about the recent NIC judgements in cases between Medical Laboratory Scientists and Pathologists.

Elechi


Copied...

This is not about an adhoc regulatory agency. It is also not about ease of doing business. It is about lives, Niger ian lives being lost to quackery and greedy persons operating medical laboratories without providing the necessary equipment and qualified personnel.

There is only one agency that regulates Medical laboratory practice in Nigeria i.e. the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria and it is backed by law- Act 11 of 2003...


Besides which I do not think there can be an over - regulation of healthcare facilities, God knows that we need another Dora Akunyili in the healthcare polity- too many people are dying as a result of evil quackery

Amplitron:
Nigeria has too many regulatory agencies who are also not effective and not efficient.

It is very difficult to get anything, anything at all done. You don't even know which agencies are supposed to be regulating you. Any adhoc agency can come on board and shut you down at any time. We are currently the 170th best place to do business out of 189 countries.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ease_of_doing_business_index#Ranking

I believe regulations for physical businesses should be at the state level. The Federal should only ensure no state has laws that are below the national minimum.

fiftynaira:
Lalasticala come and save a

Come and save a ?

Do you not agree that something urgent needs to be done for Nigeria's healthcare sector?

Open Letter to the Minister of Health; Federal Republic of Nigeria - Prof. Isaac Adewole .


Dear Sir,

I am writing to you because I sincerely believe you have the best interests of Nigerians at heart and that you are working to ensure that Nigerians get the best healthcare possible.

There have been some disturbing events in recent times, emanating from the office you oversee; the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH).

I will highlight a particular one which is currently sending a message to Nigerians that there are some elements in the Ministry of Health who do not have the goal of giving Nigerians access to the best possible healthcare.

Nigerians greeted the news that the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) was on inspection of Medical Laboratories in Lagos with joy. As reported in many newspapers/dailies, substandard medical laboratories were shut down while borderline offenders were sanctioned and given a grace period to correct the errors observed in their facilities.

This was starting to become reminiscent of the glory days of NAFDAC under the late Prof. Dora Akunyili when the Pharmaceutical industry was sanitized during her watch.

The Medical Laboratory arena in Nigeria is in dire need of a similar cleaning of the Augean stables. A situation where quacks and unethical practices run unchecked and continue to proliferate is terrible and a major contribution to the abysmally poor health indices of our dear country, Nigeria.

To later read that the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) was stopped by the Federal Ministry of Health from carrying out her legitimate duty (as backed by law) is shocking to say the least.

That the inspection which was a step in the right direction was stopped and a disturbing removal of the MLSCN CEO/Registrar happened at about the same time sends negative signals. Are there sacred cows in the Nigerian healthcare system whose toes are being stepped upon by the inspection?

In this era of change, Nigerians need reassurances that those at the helm of affairs have their best interests at heart. A failure to get this, portends grave danger for the polity. We should not get to the point where Nigerians completely lose trust in the Nigerian healthcare system; we are already dangerously close to that.


It is my hope that this letter spurs a reversal of the letter that directed the halting of the Medical Laboratory inspections by MLSCN. Doing this will send a message to Nigerians that the Federal Ministry of Health truly cares about the quality of results generated by Medical Laboratories across the country; and thus the health of Nigerians.

Thank you very much Sir for taking the time to read and reflect on this issue.


With the very best regards,

Arike O.