i check all foreign media organizations, none reported it. some Nigerian media all the way. But our media should be breaking news sensitive especially within the country. It is a shame for foreign organizations carry domestic news first. the biggest shame is NTA. A national television cannot sit up and reclaim the mantle of news reportage in Nigeria.

Viewer Discretion: Another Mob Action In Mushin As Four Men Are Burnt To Death Over Robbery Allegations


Have we lost our humanity? Do we no longer hold the sanctity of life sacred or is this just a sad reality that Nigerians have lost complete faith in the ability of the law to give them justice? I am not supposed to have an opinion but I do tonight! This is pure madness!

The men whose charred remains in see you see in the photos below are alleged to have gone on a robbery operation last night before they met their waterloo in the hands of angry residents of the area who wasted no time in giving them what could only be an ‘Aluu treatment!’

Four of them in number, reportedly apprehended this morning after an overnight robbery, were burnt alive in Vono street, mushin area of Lagos.
Viewer Discretion:

SOURCE:http://www.informationnigeria.org/2012/11/viewer-discretion-another-mob-action-in-mushin-as-four-men-are-burnt-to-death-over-robbery-allegations.html

A man stole a physician’s identity and pretended to be a doctor for a year in South Carolina, and now investigators are combing through medical records to see whether he harmed any of the hundreds of patients he treated, authorities said..
Ernest Addo of Austell, Ga., is charged with unlawful practice of medicine and obtaining goods under false pretense, authorities said.

Addo doesn’t have a medical license in the U.S. But he assumed a doctor friend’s identity, getting a driver’s license and presenting the massive amount of paperwork needed to prove he was a doctor. The documents were given to him by the friend in hopes they could open a medical clinic together when the real doctor returned from a yearlong trip to Ghana, Lexington County Sheriff James Metts said.

The real doctor, Arthur Kennedy, said he is embarrassed and devastated by what his friend did, reports The Associated Press.

Addo did have some medical training, and acted enough like a doctor not to raise any serious suspicion beyond one nurse — interviewed after Addo’s August 24, arrest — who wondered why he consulted ask.com when she questioned his treatment plan, Metts said.

The motive appears to be greed, the sheriff said. Court documents show Addo has a history of financial trouble.

Records obtained by The Associated Press show in the past 20 years, at least two dozen liens have been filed against Addo for around $200,000, including unpaid rent, credit card bills, student loans and taxes. Addo has declared bankruptcy twice.

After Addo’s arrest last week at his Georgia home, officers found fake IDs and other documents, and Metts said it appears Addo might have tried to fake his way through other lucrative careers, too. The sheriff wouldn’t specify which ones.

“He seems to be a professional con guy,” Metts said.

Authorities have said Addo received more than $10,000 for his services but declined to elaborate. One of the jobs also gave him the use of a Mercedes.

Addo, 48, has been jailed in Cobb County, Ga., since his arrest, and neither the sheriff nor jail officials knew if he had an attorney. Addo is refusing to talk to authorities, and both his home phone and cellphone have been disconnected.

Addo faces more than a decade in prison for his current charges, but he could end up in even more trouble. Metts said his investigators are reviewing the medical records of more than 500 patients Addo saw while at four Columbia-area senior centers and a rehabilitation center owned by Agape Senior Primary Care.

Metts said some of those patients died. He said more charges could follow if any of those deaths were linked to Addo’s actions.

Addo was hired as a general practitioner and provided the kind of exams patients would receive during a visit to the family doctor. Authorities said he also wrote prescriptions, including some for himself.

Officials at Agape are doing their own review of the care patients received from Addo. They said he never had sole clinical oversight of any patient.

“We have found no inappropriate diagnosis or plan of treatment. We are convinced that all of our patients are safe and receiving proper care,” Agape CEO Scott Middleton said in a statement.

Addo also worked as a contract doctor for the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, filling in for a doctor on medical leave. Officials there said they also are reviewing Addo’s care and have not found any serious issues.

Patients treated by Addo could not be located by The Associated Press for comment.

Authorities started investigating Addo after he made a small mistake on a death certificate. South Carolina health officials trying to fix the error contacted the doctor Addo was impersonating. He told them he hadn’t practiced medicine for a year in the state because he was teaching at a medical school in Ghana.

Officials have refused to release that doctor’s name, but Kennedy confirmed his identity was stolen.

Kennedy said he was betrayed by his friend. Addo also obtained credit cards in Kennedy’s name, creating an even bigger mess to clean up, the doctor said Wednesday outside his home in Orangeburg.

He said he didn’t want to answer detailed questions about what happened until he spoke to a lawyer.

Both Kennedy and Addo are from Ghana. Kennedy ran unsuccessfully for president of the west African nation in 2008. He had a family practice in Orangeburg and spent plenty of time in his homeland, pushing for public health improvements. The two men resemble each other, and Addo used Kennedy’s reputation to help get him the doctor jobs. Agape said in a statement it hired him in part because he came highly recommended.


source: http://revealzone..com/2012/09/us-fake-ghanaian-doctor-treats-500.html?utm_source=&utm_medium=facebook

As expected from the good sons and daughters of Ghanaians educated and making a decent living in the West, I contribute a quota to Ghana’s foreign exchange acquisition through regular remittance to family in Ghana. Lately I have noticed that my mother is happier than usual when she claims the dollars that I remit her. She is getting more and more cedis. Her thinking is that I have been increasing the amount of dollars that I normally send her but the truth is she owes her new found fortune to the depreciating Ghanaian cedi.

Next I talk to an old classmate in Accra who is in the business of importing office equipments from the United States which he sells to clients in Ghana. Unlike my mother, my friend is in a state of melancholy. His business has taking a nose dive and is falling off a cliff. He says it is because his import bill is heading into the stratosphere and his once loyal clients are fleeing in droves. He blames the cedi for his misfortune.

Following oil production in 2010, the cedi – Ghana’s currency - has been on a continuous free fall. According to data compiled by Bloomberg – a financial news and data service titan – and presented by Dzawu and Dontoh in June 2012, the cedi depreciated 14% to the dollar at 1.90.98 from January to June 2012, making it the fourth largest depreciated currency in the world and one of the worse performing in Africa. The downward slump continues, reaching 20% at 1.9400 in August.

You might ask, what is causing the cedi to fall so sharply? The answer to this important question is currently the subject of a political boxing contest between Ghana’s opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC). Leading the attack on the opposition side is the vice-presidential candidate of the NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who accuses the ruling government of fiscal profligacy and the central bank of policy incompetence. On the defense is the recently appointed vice-president, Mr. Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur who happens to be the immediate past governor of the central bank. Mr. Amissah-Arthur has been arguing that the cedi’s free fall is not out of character and that he will prefer that Ghanaians rather focus on the upside of a weakened currency (positive effect on the nation’s balance of trade).

My take is, at the most basic level currency markets are not dissimilar from any other type of market; they react to the fundamental principles of demand and supply. Whether you’re a dog chain seller in the rowdy streets of Kumasi with a stack of bills in your pocket, a business mogul or an X5-driven trader in one of the shiny glass buildings in Accra, anyone can generally walk into any Forex Bureau in Ghana and convert their cedis into dollars. Why will they do that? They will do so for two basic reasons: lack of confidence in the cedi and/or demand for foreign exchange for international transactions. Any of this market behaviour will have some effect on the value of the cedi.

Nevertheless, the biggest mover of the cedi is a result of large scale economic trends. Ghana is an economy that stubbornly depends heavily on imports, and this trend has been exacerbated by recent upsurge in economic growth due to oil production. At a growth rate of 14% in 2011 and perhaps 9.5% in 2012, the country’s manufacturing base is woefully inadequate to sustain the requirements of such a hefty growth. Without the complementary manufacturing capacity to produce, imports have naturally substituted the country’s production base. Imports (machinery, oil, food etc) surged to $4 billion in the first quarter of 2012, a 20% increase from the previous year according to Bank of Ghana. It is this growth in imports that is driving up demand for foreign currency and weakening the cedi in the process.

How is the cedi’s weakness affecting Ghanaians? One of the downsides of a depreciating cedi is rising inflation, which currently stands at 9.5%. Relative to the previous months, consumers are now paying more for things like rice, clothes, television etc. How come? Say you’re my friend who imports office equipments from the United States. In order to lock in a low price for those goods – you need some stability in your cost given that you’ve signed a contract with your American suppliers. It is a calamity for you when the cedi looses value against the dollar because at the new exchange rate you have to stump up more cedis to convert into dollars in order to purchase the same amount of goods. You will probably run at a loss unless you adjust the price at which you sell your goods in Ghana. Basic economics dictates that all things being equal, a rise in the price of a product will result to a lower quantity demanded. That is the reason why my friend’s clients are fleeing.

On the other hand, if you’re my mother or one of the tens of thousands of Ghanaians who are beneficiaries of remittances from abroad, a falling cedi may seem like a bonanza to you. After all, while for example USD 200 only earned you the equivalent of GHS 200 when the redenomination occurred, the same USD 200 can fetch you nearly GHS 400 today. The same mechanism applies to the earnings of Ghanaian exporters. They are also able to sell more because their products become relatively cheaper to foreigners (foreigners need fewer dollars to buy Ghanaian exports). The biggest losers of a weakening cedi are those ordinary Ghanaians with stagnant income since they will bear the greater burden of inflation.

At the macro level, a weakening cedi does not bode well for the economy as a whole. Sure, it presents an opportunity for the nation to boost exports and improve its balance of trade positioning as Mr. Amissah-Arthur has reiterated. Nonetheless, with only about 4.4 billion dollars of foreign reserves (three months of import cover), it is likely that the Bank of Ghana will continue to struggle as it intervenes to defend the cedi from its violent free fall. Already, two bouts of interest rate hikes this year has had limited success as the cedi continues to slump. Further interest rate hikes will likely be negative for credit growth and ante up the cost of government debt.

Any Ghanaian with an interest in their own lives and the Ghanaian economy ignores the exchange rate of the cedi at his or her own risk. Want to know what the price of milk will be in three months? Pay attention to the currency markets. If you want to understand why some shops and schools are charging in dollars even though you live in Ghana, pay attention to the value of the cedi. Think you know why your uncle’s spare parts business in Abossey Okai is on a slump? It might just be because the cedi is weaker, not because your uncle is doing anything right or wrong. Think you know how much the Treasury bill that you just bought will be worth in five years? It will be worth something else depending on the exchange rate of the cedi at the time. It is certainly worth your while to pay attention to the cedi debate, even if it’s not as exciting as the insults that have become synonymous with Ghana’s politics.

http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=248102

VERY SOON, IT WOULD MAKE RUBBISH OF THE REFORMED CEDI, THIS IS WHOLELY DUE TO THE 98% IMPORT DEPENDENT RATE OF THE ECONOMY.

@ petrodolla

you know what just google CIA and wikipaedia economy search on Nigeria and compare them with ghana. Google the GDP of all states in ghana and then google that of Nnewi, Onitsha, Aba or Port Harcourt.

That will educate you more.

We are lunching a made-in-Nigeria Disaster and communication satellites by 2022.

If the whole ghana can invest about 500million dollars in space technology. I bet you black monkey- civil war would be the order of the day in ghana because no money to do other things.

Can YOU BELIEVE THAT LAGOS STATE BUDGET FOR A YEAR IS BIGGER THAT gHANA'S OWN.

ONE THING THAT AMUSE ME, INSIDE gHANA YOU WILL SEE FLAGS ON ROADS, INSIDE TOILET, PAYING 2FACE TO WEAR GHANA T-SHIRTS,
CHILDISH COUNTRY.
MAKE I HEAR WORD. JOOR.

i love your report. I want to add.
ghana: borrows money from Nigeria without interest rates
ghana: Buys oil from us on credit upto 4 years before they can pay for one year.
ghana: are very poor and lazy especially their men, i dont like being compare with ghanians.
many Nigerians have not been to Ghana, but we say ghana is big as this, ghana has this, has that, i am sick and tired of all this mess called ghana.
ghana: reformed their currency hoping it will solve economic woes but mind you inflation is settling in.
BELIEVE ME gHANIANS OR NOT, AS ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES BEGINS TO SET IN YOU WILL BE ABLE TO MEASURE HOW DISORGANISED gHANA IS. SMALL NUMBERS OF INDUSTRIES THAT IS NOW ENTERING gHANA, THERE ARE IRREGULAR POWER SUPPLY NOW. WHEN THEY HAVE THE AMOUNT OF INDUSTRIES IN NNEWI, THEY WOULD DIE. THAT IS WHY THE WESTERN WORLD MARVELS AT CHINA, CHINA HAS ABOUT 30% OF THE WORLD INDUSTRIES APART FROM POLLUTION, THE COUNTRY IS EVEN MORE COORDINATED THAN SOME WESTERN WORLD. I HEAR SQUALOR gHANA IS ALSO CLAMPING ON CHINESE CITIZENS IN gHANA. PLEASE GOOGLE SHANGHAI AND GHANIANS WILL MARVEL IN DISBELIEF BECAUSE U WILL ALL THINK THAT IT WAS PAINTED. IDIOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT COUNTRY.


kama1210: Summary:
total Ghana= at most 4states in Nigeria.
total Mansions in Ghana =mansions in Aba alone.
Ghana yearly Budget= Money 9jas spend on 6month Calls.
Security: Ghana feels more secured because there's nothing to secure.
Ghanaian Wealth=< Emeka Ofor Wealth.
Factories/industries in Ghana= Industries in Aba alone.
Ghana Government=More organized than Nigeria.
Toilet In Ghana= more than 100families share 1public toilet.
Toilet in Nigeria=every compound has at least 1.
Bore hold: is like this Technology is not in Ghana.
MTN: Ghana is better in Network.

Pls post more, am reporting from Ghana.

pls mukina put this on front page

Air Force to develop bomb detonating robot
By Tony Akowe 1 hour ago
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As part of efforts aimed at curbing the activities of terrorist groups in the country, the Nigeria Airforce Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna, said on Monday that it will soon develop a bomb detonating robot.

The Institute owned by the Nigerian Airforce also said that it has developed an unmanned Aerial Vehicle code named “Amebo” for the purpose of surveillance and intelligence gathering in crisis prone areas of the country.

Commandant of the Institute, Air Vice Marshal John Oshiniyi, told a news conference in Kaduna that when the bomb detonating robot is finally developed, it will have the capacity to detonate high calibre bomb from a distance without any physical presence of a human being to carry out the exercise.

He disclosed that the institute is currently carrying out intensive research into the robot development, saying “we all know that human beings have always gone to detonate bombs and in view of the danger involved, anything can happen.

“It is because of this that we decided to go into research and the development of the bomb detonation robot. Research goes on and on. When we get to the time that we feel the public should know, we will show you, “he added.

Oshiniyi noted that the unmanned aerial vehicle developed by the college is the first of its kind on the African continent, stressing that the concept was borne out of the transformation agenda of the present administration.

“We do believe that Nigeria is capable of attaining higher pedestal in military aviation and defence related technology.

“Accordingly, in tandem with Mr. President transformation agenda, AFIT has in the past few years been focusing on defence –related research and development activities as part of its contributions to the realization of Mr. President’s vision,” he said.

Source: the nation newspaper. link: http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/index.php/news-update/54874-air-force-to-develop-bomb-detonating-robot.html

I WAS READING ONE USELESS GHANIAN SITE (WWW. GHANAWEB.COM), SEE HOW CRISIS AND ROBBERY ARE FINISHING THAT COUNTRY AND OUR MEDIA WOULD BE PAINTING THEM WHITE. We Nigerians are the ones hyping these bastards. How can Ghana even dream of comparing Nigeria with their country- Ghana, any where you see in Ghana, Ghanian flags, even on streets- very childish. I pity the masses there. There is no light in Ghana (10years is a mirage). There are power failures here and there. We went for a conference, we were amazed on what we experience. Records shows that the no. of industries in Lagos is greater than the no. of industries in other West Africa countries put together. THis fool called Smoothcrim is talking trash. Black brains, black stars. Nigeria is contributing 179 billion naira to education in Ghana annually. They will remain small and low to us. SEE DEAR NAIRALANDERS NIGERIA YOUR COUNTRY IS A GREAT COUNTRY. GO OUTSIDE NIGERIA AND YOU WILL EXPERIENCE IT IN OTHER AFRICAN COUNTRIES. FORGET WHAT THEY SAY SA THIS, GH THIS, KENYA THIS. THEY ARE ALL POOR COUNTRIES DEVELOPED BY WHITES NO BLACK IMPUT AND THEY ARE SUFFERING IT TODAY. "WHEN SOMEONE TALKS ABOUT YOU YOU ARE GREAT". tHOUGH WE FACE CHALLENGES, BUT WE WILL ONE DAY BE PROUD TO SAY I AM A NIGERIAN

12 Jul 2012

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160212T.Justice-Alfa-Belgore.jpg - 160212T.Justice-Alfa-Belgore.jpg

Former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Alfa Belgore

By Tobi Soniyi and Mohammed Bello

As part of recommendations for the review of the 1999 Constitution, the Presidential Committee on the Review of Outstanding Constitutional Issues has recommended that the present structure of the country which gives too much power to the Federal Government be reviewed in favour of the federating states.

The committee had submitted its report to President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday in Abuja.

In the executive summary of the committee's report, which was exclusively obtained by THISDAY, the committee noted that too much power is concentrated at the centre – the Federal Government.

The committee, which was headed by a former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Alfa Belgore, therefore recommended that the Federal Government should retain powers only necessary for maintaining the sovereignty of the country.

In the report, it recommended as follows: “(a) Reduction of powers at the centre and devolution of same to the states federating units; (b) Allow the centre to retain necessary powers to enable it exercise its sovereignty; (c) Enable the centre to act for the federating units in areas of common and mutually beneficial interest and services.”

The committee also recommended that local governments should be independent of states. In the report, the committee observed that “the system of local government as a tier of government should be guaranteed, and its financial autonomy ensured, without prejudice to the creation and supervision of the state governments.”

It also recommended that the power to create local government areas should be wholly vested in states.

However, in order to avoid a situation where states will go on local government creation spree for the purpose of collecting more allocations from the Federation Account, the committee advised that the number of local governments shall not be a consideration in the allocation of national revenues.

“Instead, allocation of revenue between the states shall be based on the established allocation principles of population, equality of states, internal revenue generation, and landmass, terrain, as well as population density, as already enshrined in Section 162 (2) of the Constitution,” the committee suggested.

In this regard, the committee recommended the scrapping of the State Joint Local Government Account Committee and establishment of the States Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (SRMAFC), which will allocate funds to the state government, local government councils and between local councils of a state, using the same distribution principles for revenue allocation formula adopted by RMAFC when allocating funds from the Federation Account.

On the vexed issue of power rotation, the committee agreed with the 2005 Constitutional Conference that it should not be included in the constitution.

However, the committee advised that power rotation should be given legal backing below the constitution to compel political parties to apply the rotation principle in order to guarantee equity and justice in choosing people for electoral offices.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the committee said, should be empowered to enforce the law.

According to the Belgore committee, the sentiments generated by the debate over rotation of power, which nearly resulted in the over-heating of the polity, necessitated that the issue, though legally necessary should not be given a high priority by way of giving it a constitutional provision.

Instead, the committee recommended that another utilitarian angle of the law be exploited to make the issue lawful so that equity, good conscience and justice will prevail in the overcharged political atmosphere.

“In view of the emotive nature of rotation, it should not be included in the constitution. It should, however, be given legal backing below the constitution to ensure that political parties are enjoined to apply the rotation principle,” the committee advised.

The committee noted that this stance was taken to deepen the democratic process by giving equal access to all political players by encouraging “equity and justice in putting forward people for electoral offices”.

On immunity for the president, his deputy, governors and their deputies, the committee said that it should not be removed.

It, however, recommended that an Office of Independent Counsel, which will investigate allegations and initiate proceeding against such officers who enjoy immunity while they are still in office, be established.

On the tenure for office of the president, governors and local government chairman, the committee recommended that the issue be considered by a larger representative forum. On this issue, President Jonathan had already promised to constitute such a larger representative forum.

On states creation, the committee advised that for the purpose of equity and fairness, one additional state be created in the South-east geo-political zone so that it will have six states like other zones.

However, the committee recommended that "provided they comply with the requirements of the constitution, the additional state in the South-east and any other state can be created anywhere in the federation."

On election tribunals, the committee observed that judges now lobby for appointment to be made members of election tribunals, a situation which it said, had resulted in widespread allegations of corruption in the judiciary.

The committee held the view that the present arrangement is wasteful, distrustful and riddled with allegations of corruption because judges now lobby to be appointed as members of election tribunals.

It suggested that except for other elections, other than governorship and presidential elections, only one judge should hear election petitions. This, it said, would minimise waste and save time and reduce corruption.

“For petitions involving the election of a governor of a state, a chief judge from another state is to preside over the election petition. The chief judge of a state is the nearest judicial officer to the governor in the sense that the governor could have a hand in his appointment. Therefore, a chief judge from another state sitting with two other senior judges of that state is appropriate,” it said.

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/constitution-review-belgore-c-ttee-wants-devolution-of-power/119885/

very creative guys. Niaja for life. Creative minds. We can get there. Thanks.

i love you ROSSIKK. You are genius. Your analysis is brilliant keep it up. thanks.

this is a welcome development in the country, if we can achieve this kind of feat in all facet of the economy, i believe Nigeria would be better off. And also we would regain our pride of place in comity of nations.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-18316130#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa

according to BBC, the plane was heading from lagos to abuja

4llerbuntu: ok, this is all about more money right?

fine.

but after paying these doctors more money, will the equipment they need to work also magically appear in the hospitals? will the hospitals expand, and multiply to help the congestion issues?


i think the answer to that is no, therefore they will get paid like double their current wages for doing the same things they have been doing, in the same useless work environments, with the same absence of meaningful equipment to justify their white coats and lofty title!!


i wonder why fashola simply did'nt offer to sack half of them and use their salaries to double the ones remaining. im sure this greedy arses would have taken that deal!

like how many professions in this country earn anything near what these docs earn now? i need examples.

last week they were comparing their wages to that of politicians! like bloody hell!!

you are a genius. Comparing theirs with POLITICIANS (THIEVES) SALARY. THEY MUST BE out of their mind.

GboyegaD:

Your experience in a hospital and the hear says made you conclude that there isn't a good relationship between doctors and health workers right? Nigerians with rumour mongering.

if you are sincere with your self now, post a thread on the working relationship between doctors vs nurses and health workers (especially Medical Lab. Scientists). You would see truth it would be like a probe report.

I unionism because i am an activist but Lagos Doctors is too much. Check the difference between what a federal doctor collects and what LASG pays. Be sincere, it is very negligible. Tell your NMA, they are giving government power over unionism due to the abuse of strike process and procedures.

GboyegaD:

Very shallow reasoning.

i think you are not logical because u are full of ego when u have nothing in your head. When u lose your father in a hospital u would know what i mean. Dunce.

i respect u ~Bluetooth: tanks for all yur comments they are matured.

[b][/b]all these so called tin demogod

This doctors with the way they play with people's life, i wonder how our heavenly father would judge them because they take patients life for granted. But mind u, there are few honest one among them all they know is to drag for supremacy over the hospital in every unit. God will judge them all. Health workers and doctors are not in a any working relationship which suppose to be so since this is what is done well abroad. I think Fashola and the FG should bring back the coroner's report as check on our health system. If you go to hospitals they use patients to improve their treating skills. WHen i lost my sister there i knew what the health sector in Nigeria is .... a poo.

Doctors must obey civil service rule and work well with health workers. Pride goes before a fall. Their end/reign is here...

This doctors with the way they play with people's life, i wonder how our heavenly father would judge them because they take patients life for granted. But mind u, there are few honest one among them all they know is to drag for supremacy over the hospital in every unit. God will judge them all. Health workers and doctors are not in a any working relationship which suppose to be so since this is what is done well abroad. I think Fashola and the FG should bring back the coroner's report as check on our health system. If you go to hospitals they use patients to improve their treating skills. WHen i lost my sister there i knew what the health sector in Nigeria is .... a shit.

Doctors must obey civil service rule and work well with health workers. Pride goes before a fall. Their end/reign is here...

please can someone tell me how to post a topic or a thread on nairaland forum front page or homepage, because i have interesting topics for discussion.

i think we need to deliberate extensively on this topic because it is the bane of the health sector

Doctors Vs Health Workers: When Will The Feud End?
Some time ago the board of Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) announced the de-registration of all public and private medical laboratories in the country, with a view to re-inspect and re-register their facilities.

Reasons for this action, according to the regulatory body include: poor state of our training institutions; uncomfortable quality of test resulting from various laboratories in the country; and the activities of untrained hands, who have taken the advantage of the lapses to import and store all kinds of diagnostic reagents and chemicals under unfavorable conditions with adverse consequences to the patient.

The council made it known that its actions are within the law that established it as stated in Act 11 of 2003 with the charge among others to regulate the production, importation, sales and stocking of diagnostic laboratory reagents and chemicals as well as inspect, regulate and accredit all public and private medical laboratories.

The council then reiterated its determination to restore the credibility of the profession by ensuring that results are not only accurate but are reproducible, while putting in place an identification emblem for licensed and accredited laboratories which will aid the public in recognizing good quality laboratory facilities.

Good, as the intention of this regulatory seems, it actions generated public outcry from other professional bodies and few individuals.

Leading the pack of aggrieve bodies are the Association of Pathologists of Nigeria (ASOPON) and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). Both professional bodies through paid advert in the national dailies respectively directed their members not to grant access to public and private laboratories to MLSCN functionaries.

Among their desires is for the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to regulate medical laboratory science practice.

In a swift reaction, the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), a professional body of medical laboratory scientists condemned in strong term, the actions of both ASOPON and NMA describing it as “mischievous, unwarranted egoistic, unprofessional, and illegal”.

In a communiqué published after its EXPANDED National Executive (ENEC) meeting at Owerri (South East of Nigeria) and jointly signed by Dr. DM.F. Useh, Dr. B.E. Bassey and Uche Odionyema, the National President, Secretary ad PRO respectively, the AMLSN called upon ASOPON, NMA, health institutions and government at various levels not to ignore their core duties while it strongly urge MLSCN and all her members to proceed in the performance of their lawful duties and not to succumb to any form of intimidation and blackmail.

However, I noticed with dismay that this attack and counter attack on personality and professional bodies has once again brought to fore, the unhealthy rivalry among the healthcare providers not minding the patient whom they are all out to serve. An African proverb says “where two elephants are fighting, the grass there suffers”. But in this case, more than two elephants are fighting. One can only imaging what the grass (patient) will look like at the end of the day.

Only recently did the members of the Association of Hospital Medical Health Attendants of Nigeria cried out against shoddy treatment meted to them on daily basis by doctors, nurses, lab scientists, pharmacists and other healthcare providers in our different health institutions.

But the World Health Organization (WHO) defined hospital attendant as “all workers in the hospital setting, be it medical laboratory scientists, doctors, nurses, pharmacists etc that attend to the need of patients or clients”.

Then, if the world health governing body, sees everyone as performing the same duty – healthcare - why should there be segregation among our health workers? Why the disparity in our health institutions?

I think the sooner; the better it is for everyone to recognize that the days of one particular professional dominating affair in all facets of medicine and particularly tangentially relates areas are gone. Advancement in science, medicine and levels of acquisition of knowledge has made this a non-issue.

Management of medical institutions (particularly the Teaching Hospitals) should ensure that rightful professionals are placed in rightful position. This will ensure optimal performance and avoid the issue of square peg in round hole.

Governments at all level should also ensure the implementation of the approved scheme of service for all cadres in the hospital establishment. This will put an end, industrial disharmony ravaging our health institutions.

The health sector have been battered enough, therefore, all “attendants” should come together and put an end to professional disharmony in this sector of the nation. The inter-professional bickering which has rearing its head should end in the interest of the patients.

Every professional group has its distinct role. As players, they should all work like a team in order to achieve the ultimate goal which is ensuring qualitative and effective healthcare.
Mr. Okwor (President: PSN), He acknowledged that Nigeria has failed to improve its drug manufacturing industry, wondering why, if China and India can evolve into hubs for drug manufacturing, Nigeria cannot. “A well developed pharmaceutical sector positions us to make quantum revenue from pharmaceuticals while also stabilizing national security especially against the challenges posed by the fake drug syndrome,” he added.
Also one of the best former Minister of Health, Professor Eyitayo Lambo (2000-2007), said over 100 pharmaceutical production plants of varying capacities exist in Nigeria with an aggregate investment of N300 billion, employing 600,000 people. But he said only about 40 percent of the national essential drug needs are met by the local industry, which is too low, and contributing just about two per cent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to the economy.
He said that the pharmaceutical industry received Foreign Direct Investment of about $1.5 billion between 2000 and 2008, with the domestic market worth about $11 billion in 2008 and projected to reach $15 billion in 2012.
He lamented the “poor and chaotic” drug distribution system within the industry, also describing the interpersonal rivalries among the various categories of health professionals in spite of clear differences in roles and functions as an impediment to quality healthcare delivery and national development.
He insisted that where there is high poverty rate, the rate of healthcare is low and that it is only quality healthcare that can create wealth, calling on pharmacists to aspire for leadership positions so that they can be in authority to implement policies that can change the poor indices against the pharmaceutical industry.
Professor Lambo who decried policy somersaults in the health sector, said any professional could be the minister of health, insisting it was only a “strategic management position and not a professional one,” insisting pharmacists must put their house in order for them to be recognized. He said the professional bodies should be complementary and not competitive,
“Unfortunately, there is lack of harmony in the health sector which aggravates the poor health indices in the country. There can be no development in the face of rancour, acrimony and hateful relationships as is now witnessed among health workers. This situation is inimical to the development of the health sector and by implication, the development of the nation,” however, saying the ministry had inaugurated a Presidential Committee three months ago to address the issue of harmony among professionals in the health sector.
The Nurses:
Here, we are not saying that nursing profession is independent of other Health profession. Infact, under dependent function of a Nurse, a Nurse is under obligation to carry out doctor's order, unless he/ she believes that the order is in error or would be detrimental to the patient, because a Nurse who carries out an inaccurate order may be legally responsible for any harm suffered by the patient.
A case where a physician gave an order that is against the body of knowledge of a Nurse and the doctor refuses to change because of his ego neglecting the queries issues by the Nurse.
This situation most of the time degenerated to rivalry between the Nurses and the doctors. Because, some doctor believed that, they are the head of the ward, which is not true! Every profession, including nursing, performing services needed by the societies. It means, every profession is important on their own. The Nursing profession consult it's own body of knowledge, part of which is specialized and unique to Nursing and part of which is held in common with other Health professions such as medicine, pharmacy, medical lab etc .It is this specialized body of knowledge, that set Nursing profession on higher pedestal than any other professions. It also establishes the direction and the limitation of their practice.
Nurses on the Health Bill
They have also criticised the section of the bill which prescribed that the head of the proposed Tertiary Heath Commission should be a medical doctor, suggesting that it should be made open to all the health professionals to aspire to.
But the NMA President said, as the head of the medical team and based on their trainings, medical doctors are more grounded to head the commission.
“As it is today tertiary hospitals are under hospital services division of the Federal Ministry of Health, if in the face of increasing number of scope of tertiary hospital, a commission is created to oversee this large area, what is wrong with that.
“The bill did not specify the qualifications, and experience of such medically qualified doctor to drive the process. Do the paramedical professionals equally want to take over the Hospital service division,” he queried.
For these two bodies, there is always something to prove. Any perceived “favouritism” shown to one is always met with stiff resistance by the other who would also demand for the same. It is this unhealthy rivalry that has given rise to the incessant strike action in the sector.
And it is this incessant strike action that has impinged on the health sector so much so that it has been identified as a major contributor to the country’s poor health indices.
A fact corroborated by the minister of Health, Prof Christian Onyebuchi Chukwu, when he disclosed that the multisectoral approach towards attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was faced with a myriad of challenges which include lack of effective mechanisms for integrating multisectoral actions at all tiers of government on health and the challenge of unhealthy competition by the sectors which has led to duplication of effort rather than complementing each other.
While inaugurating the Presidential Committee on Industrial Harmony in the Health Sector and the Ministerial Committee on the Review of the Residency Programme in Nigeria, two years ago, the minister of Health, said that it was not his intention to preempt the committees but a careful look at the Terms of Reference showed that a fundamental requirement for peace in the health sector was a change of attitude.
He recalled that during the swearing in of ministers, President Goodluck Jonathan personally charged him to bring an end to the industrial disharmony in the health sector, as well as drastic improvement in the country’s health indices.
He said it was a commitment to deliver on what he called, “our primary responsibility which is the good health of our patients by all working as a team and complementing each other”.
He decried the situation where health workers were more interested in their salary structure while negating the good health of their patients.
He called for a change of attitude among health workers, adding that they should eschew all forms of negativity while attending to the public.The Committee was chaired by Justice Bello Abdullahi and Dr Roland Ndoma-Egba respectively.
Interestingly though, the report which was submitted since mid- last year is yet to be made public.
An action which has made the health workers to cry foul that the minister who of course, is a medical doctor was trying to doctor the report to favour his professional group.
As professionals, the interest of the patient and how to move the sector forward should be paramount in their minds.Until they sheathe their swords, the health of Nigerians would continue to suffer because as the saying goes, when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.

Evidence-Based Healthcare Services.
More often than not, we blame the doctor for every treatment failure we have. We tend to overlook the role the medical laboratory scientists play in the health care delivery. Most of the reasons for the all- round tripping medical tourism being experienced in the country today could be linked to the poor medical treatment. Many Nigerians have lost confidence in the ability of the Nigerian doctors to treat them well so they’d rather go to the foreign land where they believe things cannot go wrong to get the desired care. However, we sometimes forget that the basis or bedrock for any treatment is test or diagnosis and that a doctor’s evaluation or judgment is based on that. And pray, tell, what happens if a patient gets a misdiagnosis from the lab? Your guess is as good as mine.
Now, it’s a global world. Times are changing so also are the ways we used to do things. Gone is the old order for the new one.
Perhaps, knowing the importance of their work to a patient, , the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), announced that it was to collaborate with John Hopkins University and Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) , to implement a web-based Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
According to the registrar/ chief executive officer, MLSCN, Prof Anthony Emeribe, the project named K4 Health/ Nigeria Web- based Continuing Professional Development Programme (CPD) for Nigerian laboratory professionals is a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded seed project providing opportunities for medical laboratory scientists to continuously improve their knowledge, update and sharpen old skills and acquire new ones. He said this was to ensure that medical laboratory scientists remain at the cutting edge of professional knowledge and competence to render accurate and reliable diagnostic laboratory services to the patient and the society.
Emeribe noted that as a responsible association, he was urging his members to cultivate the habit of pursuit of excellence in professional practice in the interest of the patient and the society.
He said that through this programme, the association in conjunction with Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria(MLSCN) is launching a vanguard for mandatory professional medical laboratory education for every medical laboratory scientist in Nigeria.
“Nigerians will benefit tremendously from this project due to enhanced access to CPD which will result in improved skill and proficiency of laboratory professionals,” Emeribe said.
The association also reiterated its call for the introduction and incorporation of laboratory services at the primary health care level in Nigeria.
The president of the association, Dr Goodswill C.Okara, said that the practice of treating every patient that complains of fever for malaria or typhoid is antiquated, saying, “our people in the rural areas are deserving of appropriate laboratory services in the 21st century.”
He said every medical laboratory scientist will henceforth show evidence of having acquired a specified minimum number of credits before renewal of practicing licence in a given year.
According to him, without fulfilling the minimum number of credits, practicing licence will not be issued by the council.
On the Health Bill
The Assembly of Healthcare Professional Unions in a swift reaction called on President Jonathan not to sign the National Health Bill into law as it contradicts existing laws.
Its spokesman, the National Vice President of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Dr. Godwill Okara, told journalists during a press conference on May 23 that if signed into law the bill will lead to industrial disharmony.
The Assembly of Healthcare Professional Unions consists of nine associations including the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) and the Association of Radiographers of Nigeria (ARN).
Okara, flanked by representatives of all the nine associations, described the bill passed by the Senate as "garnished poison", noting that it contains "provocative and conflicting provisions that must be removed". According to him the NMA rushed the Senate into passing the bill for the purpose of sidelining other key professionals in the health sector, a situation he said, was unacceptable to his members.
He decried the fact that despite the unions meeting with the House Committee on Health, writing to the President, the Senate President, and its spirited efforts to present their position to the then Senate Committee on Health none of their presentations was used as input in the Bill. He however acknowledged that President Jonathan through the inauguration of the Presidential Committee on Industrial Harmony had shown interest in preventing strikes in the sector, just as he has noted that the Senate passed the Health Bill in good faith but said that the lawmakers were unaware of the full implications if signed into law.
"The Bill will not only conflict with existing regulatory laws in the healthcare industry, but will increase the crises in the health sector. The victims of the crises will be innocent patients, healthcare professionals and the larger society that patronise our health facilities" Okara said. To further show their disapproval of certain sections of the bill, two days after addressing the press, the unionists in their thousands protested against the president assenting to the bill at the Eagle Square, Abuja. As early as 10am, the protesting health workers converged at the entrance of the Eagle Square, carrying placards with inscriptions: 'No to conflicting sections in the health bill,' 'Health Bill more crises in the health sector,' 'Mr. President don't sign the health Bill,' while singing solidarity songs.
Okara reiterated the stand of his group that the first part of the bill, which seeks to regulate and set standards for the practice of various health professionals, was unnecessary since there were professional organisations set up by the government to regulate the practice of various health professionals.
"The bill also assigned the power to prescribe functions and duties of various health professionals to itself. We believe the National Council on Establishment is already saddled with the responsibility to do that, and giving the same duty to any other body is duplications.
"We are also against the aspect of the bill which states that the National Hospital Commission should be headed by a medical doctor. We believe this position should be made open for every professional in the health sector to aspire to. We have complained to the Minister of Health on this issue, and nothing was done till the Senate passed the bill.
"We are, therefore, appealing to Mr. President not to assent to the bill until these grey areas are expunged. We are going to forward our letter to the President through the Secretary to the Government for the Federal," he said.
Unperturbed by the complaints of the other unions NMA which in February led women groups to the National Assembly to protest the non-passage of the bill immediately responded in a strong manner labelling as 'crass' the call made by the other health professionals that the bill should not be signed by the president. Without mincing words, Idris, who responded to the threats of the Assembly of Health professionals during a press briefing on May 26, said the Assembly of Health Care Professionals and unions opposition to the bill was selfish, adding that Jonathan should sign the bill into law.
He said, "Mr. President should not be distracted by unnecessary wrangling and threats. It is our fervent hope and expectations on behalf of many voiceless Nigerians that the president signs the bill to law." He posited that it was unfair for the other health professionals to accuse doctors and the Federal Ministry of Health of designing the bill with ulterior motives. For him, those who passed the bill should be commended, as it will improve healthcare delivery in all parts of the country as well as greatly reduce the infant -maternal mortality rates.
According to him unlike what had been said by other healthcare professionals who staged a protest over the bill, it does not "Abrogate any laws of the regulatory bodies." He equally said that opposition to the section of the bill which reserves the chairmanship of the proposed National Tertiary Hospitals Commission for doctors was unnecessary. He maintained that the doctor was the head of a medical team, "Excerpt in Nigeria there is no part of the world where the leadership role of doctors is brazenly assaulted by other healthcare professional," he said.
So far, none of the contending factions have softened its position over the health bill. Many are of the view that for the bill to bring about the much touted transformation to health sector, all professionals must agree to it, rather than the situation where some perceive that the bill as marginalising their profession. Many have expressed fear that if nothing is done to make the health bill acceptable to all, the war of words will not abate with patients suffering from the continued rivalry among health care professionals. Time will tell if the president will sign the bill. Though not a few stakeholders believe that Jonathan ought to seek means of assuaging the feelings of those aggrieved by controversial sections of the bill by finding a middle ground even it means his seeking an amendment of the bill.
The Patients must be our concern.

GOOGLE THE link for the PDF VERSION ON federal government panel report on solution to professional disharmony in health sector.

Doctors Vs Health Workers: When Will The Feud End?
Some time ago the board of Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) announced the de-registration of all public and private medical laboratories in the country, with a view to re-inspect and re-register their facilities.

Reasons for this action, according to the regulatory body include: poor state of our training institutions; uncomfortable quality of test resulting from various laboratories in the country; and the activities of untrained hands, who have taken the advantage of the lapses to import and store all kinds of diagnostic reagents and chemicals under unfavorable conditions with adverse consequences to the patient.

The council made it known that its actions are within the law that established it as stated in Act 11 of 2003 with the charge among others to regulate the production, importation, sales and stocking of diagnostic laboratory reagents and chemicals as well as inspect, regulate and accredit all public and private medical laboratories.

The council then reiterated its determination to restore the credibility of the profession by ensuring that results are not only accurate but are reproducible, while putting in place an identification emblem for licensed and accredited laboratories which will aid the public in recognizing good quality laboratory facilities.

Good, as the intention of this regulatory seems, it actions generated public outcry from other professional bodies and few individuals.

Leading the pack of aggrieve bodies are the Association of Pathologists of Nigeria (ASOPON) and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). Both professional bodies through paid advert in the national dailies respectively directed their members not to grant access to public and private laboratories to MLSCN functionaries.

Among their desires is for the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to regulate medical laboratory science practice.

In a swift reaction, the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), a professional body of medical laboratory scientists condemned in strong term, the actions of both ASOPON and NMA describing it as “mischievous, unwarranted egoistic, unprofessional, and illegal”.

In a communiqué published after its EXPANDED National Executive (ENEC) meeting at Owerri (South East of Nigeria) and jointly signed by Dr. DM.F. Useh, Dr. B.E. Bassey and Uche Odionyema, the National President, Secretary ad PRO respectively, the AMLSN called upon ASOPON, NMA, health institutions and government at various levels not to ignore their core duties while it strongly urge MLSCN and all her members to proceed in the performance of their lawful duties and not to succumb to any form of intimidation and blackmail.

However, I noticed with dismay that this attack and counter attack on personality and professional bodies has once again brought to fore, the unhealthy rivalry among the healthcare providers not minding the patient whom they are all out to serve. An African proverb says “where two elephants are fighting, the grass there suffers”. But in this case, more than two elephants are fighting. One can only imaging what the grass (patient) will look like at the end of the day.

Only recently did the members of the Association of Hospital Medical Health Attendants of Nigeria cried out against shoddy treatment meted to them on daily basis by doctors, nurses, lab scientists, pharmacists and other healthcare providers in our different health institutions.

But the World Health Organization (WHO) defined hospital attendant as “all workers in the hospital setting, be it medical laboratory scientists, doctors, nurses, pharmacists etc that attend to the need of patients or clients”.

Then, if the world health governing body, sees everyone as performing the same duty – healthcare - why should there be segregation among our health workers? Why the disparity in our health institutions?

I think the sooner; the better it is for everyone to recognize that the days of one particular professional dominating affair in all facets of medicine and particularly tangentially relates areas are gone. Advancement in science, medicine and levels of acquisition of knowledge has made this a non-issue.

Management of medical institutions (particularly the Teaching Hospitals) should ensure that rightful professionals are placed in rightful position. This will ensure optimal performance and avoid the issue of square peg in round hole.

Governments at all level should also ensure the implementation of the approved scheme of service for all cadres in the hospital establishment. This will put an end, industrial disharmony ravaging our health institutions.

The health sector have been battered enough, therefore, all “attendants” should come together and put an end to professional disharmony in this sector of the nation. The inter-professional bickering which has rearing its head should end in the interest of the patients.

Every professional group has its distinct role. As players, they should all work like a team in order to achieve the ultimate goal which is ensuring qualitative and effective healthcare.
Mr. Okwor (President: PSN), He acknowledged that Nigeria has failed to improve its drug manufacturing industry, wondering why, if China and India can evolve into hubs for drug manufacturing, Nigeria cannot. “A well developed pharmaceutical sector positions us to make quantum revenue from pharmaceuticals while also stabilizing national security especially against the challenges posed by the fake drug syndrome,” he added.
Also one of the best former Minister of Health, Professor Eyitayo Lambo (2000-2007), said over 100 pharmaceutical production plants of varying capacities exist in Nigeria with an aggregate investment of N300 billion, employing 600,000 people. But he said only about 40 percent of the national essential drug needs are met by the local industry, which is too low, and contributing just about two per cent Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to the economy.
He said that the pharmaceutical industry received Foreign Direct Investment of about $1.5 billion between 2000 and 2008, with the domestic market worth about $11 billion in 2008 and projected to reach $15 billion in 2012.
He lamented the “poor and chaotic” drug distribution system within the industry, also describing the interpersonal rivalries among the various categories of health professionals in spite of clear differences in roles and functions as an impediment to quality healthcare delivery and national development.
He insisted that where there is high poverty rate, the rate of healthcare is low and that it is only quality healthcare that can create wealth, calling on pharmacists to aspire for leadership positions so that they can be in authority to implement policies that can change the poor indices against the pharmaceutical industry.
Professor Lambo who decried policy somersaults in the health sector, said any professional could be the minister of health, insisting it was only a “strategic management position and not a professional one,” insisting pharmacists must put their house in order for them to be recognized. He said the professional bodies should be complementary and not competitive,
“Unfortunately, there is lack of harmony in the health sector which aggravates the poor health indices in the country. There can be no development in the face of rancour, acrimony and hateful relationships as is now witnessed among health workers. This situation is inimical to the development of the health sector and by implication, the development of the nation,” however, saying the ministry had inaugurated a Presidential Committee three months ago to address the issue of harmony among professionals in the health sector.
The Nurses:
Here, we are not saying that nursing profession is independent of other Health profession. Infact, under dependent function of a Nurse, a Nurse is under obligation to carry out doctor's order, unless he/ she believes that the order is in error or would be detrimental to the patient, because a Nurse who carries out an inaccurate order may be legally responsible for any harm suffered by the patient.
A case where a physician gave an order that is against the body of knowledge of a Nurse and the doctor refuses to change because of his ego neglecting the queries issues by the Nurse.
This situation most of the time degenerated to rivalry between the Nurses and the doctors. Because, some doctor believed that, they are the head of the ward, which is not true! Every profession, including nursing, performing services needed by the societies. It means, every profession is important on their own. The Nursing profession consult it's own body of knowledge, part of which is specialized and unique to Nursing and part of which is held in common with other Health professions such as medicine, pharmacy, medical lab etc .It is this specialized body of knowledge, that set Nursing profession on higher pedestal than any other professions. It also establishes the direction and the limitation of their practice.
Nurses on the Health Bill
They have also criticised the section of the bill which prescribed that the head of the proposed Tertiary Heath Commission should be a medical doctor, suggesting that it should be made open to all the health professionals to aspire to.
But the NMA President said, as the head of the medical team and based on their trainings, medical doctors are more grounded to head the commission.
“As it is today tertiary hospitals are under hospital services division of the Federal Ministry of Health, if in the face of increasing number of scope of tertiary hospital, a commission is created to oversee this large area, what is wrong with that.
“The bill did not specify the qualifications, and experience of such medically qualified doctor to drive the process. Do the paramedical professionals equally want to take over the Hospital service division,” he queried.
For these two bodies, there is always something to prove. Any perceived “favouritism” shown to one is always met with stiff resistance by the other who would also demand for the same. It is this unhealthy rivalry that has given rise to the incessant strike action in the sector.
And it is this incessant strike action that has impinged on the health sector so much so that it has been identified as a major contributor to the country’s poor health indices.
A fact corroborated by the minister of Health, Prof Christian Onyebuchi Chukwu, when he disclosed that the multisectoral approach towards attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was faced with a myriad of challenges which include lack of effective mechanisms for integrating multisectoral actions at all tiers of government on health and the challenge of unhealthy competition by the sectors which has led to duplication of effort rather than complementing each other.
While inaugurating the Presidential Committee on Industrial Harmony in the Health Sector and the Ministerial Committee on the Review of the Residency Programme in Nigeria, two years ago, the minister of Health, said that it was not his intention to preempt the committees but a careful look at the Terms of Reference showed that a fundamental requirement for peace in the health sector was a change of attitude.
He recalled that during the swearing in of ministers, President Goodluck Jonathan personally charged him to bring an end to the industrial disharmony in the health sector, as well as drastic improvement in the country’s health indices.
He said it was a commitment to deliver on what he called, “our primary responsibility which is the good health of our patients by all working as a team and complementing each other”.
He decried the situation where health workers were more interested in their salary structure while negating the good health of their patients.
He called for a change of attitude among health workers, adding that they should eschew all forms of negativity while attending to the public.The Committee was chaired by Justice Bello Abdullahi and Dr Roland Ndoma-Egba respectively.
Interestingly though, the report which was submitted since mid- last year is yet to be made public.
An action which has made the health workers to cry foul that the minister who of course, is a medical doctor was trying to doctor the report to favour his professional group.
As professionals, the interest of the patient and how to move the sector forward should be paramount in their minds.Until they sheathe their swords, the health of Nigerians would continue to suffer because as the saying goes, when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers.

Evidence-Based Healthcare Services.
More often than not, we blame the doctor for every treatment failure we have. We tend to overlook the role the medical laboratory scientists play in the health care delivery. Most of the reasons for the all- round tripping medical tourism being experienced in the country today could be linked to the poor medical treatment. Many Nigerians have lost confidence in the ability of the Nigerian doctors to treat them well so they’d rather go to the foreign land where they believe things cannot go wrong to get the desired care. However, we sometimes forget that the basis or bedrock for any treatment is test or diagnosis and that a doctor’s evaluation or judgment is based on that. And pray, tell, what happens if a patient gets a misdiagnosis from the lab? Your guess is as good as mine.
Now, it’s a global world. Times are changing so also are the ways we used to do things. Gone is the old order for the new one.
Perhaps, knowing the importance of their work to a patient, , the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), announced that it was to collaborate with John Hopkins University and Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) , to implement a web-based Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
According to the registrar/ chief executive officer, MLSCN, Prof Anthony Emeribe, the project named K4 Health/ Nigeria Web- based Continuing Professional Development Programme (CPD) for Nigerian laboratory professionals is a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded seed project providing opportunities for medical laboratory scientists to continuously improve their knowledge, update and sharpen old skills and acquire new ones. He said this was to ensure that medical laboratory scientists remain at the cutting edge of professional knowledge and competence to render accurate and reliable diagnostic laboratory services to the patient and the society.
Emeribe noted that as a responsible association, he was urging his members to cultivate the habit of pursuit of excellence in professional practice in the interest of the patient and the society.
He said that through this programme, the association in conjunction with Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria(MLSCN) is launching a vanguard for mandatory professional medical laboratory education for every medical laboratory scientist in Nigeria.
“Nigerians will benefit tremendously from this project due to enhanced access to CPD which will result in improved skill and proficiency of laboratory professionals,” Emeribe said.
The association also reiterated its call for the introduction and incorporation of laboratory services at the primary health care level in Nigeria.
The president of the association, Dr Goodswill C.Okara, said that the practice of treating every patient that complains of fever for malaria or typhoid is antiquated, saying, “our people in the rural areas are deserving of appropriate laboratory services in the 21st century.”
He said every medical laboratory scientist will henceforth show evidence of having acquired a specified minimum number of credits before renewal of practicing licence in a given year.
According to him, without fulfilling the minimum number of credits, practicing licence will not be issued by the council.
On the Health Bill
The Assembly of Healthcare Professional Unions in a swift reaction called on President Jonathan not to sign the National Health Bill into law as it contradicts existing laws.
Its spokesman, the National Vice President of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Dr. Godwill Okara, told journalists during a press conference on May 23 that if signed into law the bill will lead to industrial disharmony.
The Assembly of Healthcare Professional Unions consists of nine associations including the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) and the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) and the Association of Radiographers of Nigeria (ARN).
Okara, flanked by representatives of all the nine associations, described the bill passed by the Senate as "garnished poison", noting that it contains "provocative and conflicting provisions that must be removed". According to him the NMA rushed the Senate into passing the bill for the purpose of sidelining other key professionals in the health sector, a situation he said, was unacceptable to his members.
He decried the fact that despite the unions meeting with the House Committee on Health, writing to the President, the Senate President, and its spirited efforts to present their position to the then Senate Committee on Health none of their presentations was used as input in the Bill. He however acknowledged that President Jonathan through the inauguration of the Presidential Committee on Industrial Harmony had shown interest in preventing strikes in the sector, just as he has noted that the Senate passed the Health Bill in good faith but said that the lawmakers were unaware of the full implications if signed into law.
"The Bill will not only conflict with existing regulatory laws in the healthcare industry, but will increase the crises in the health sector. The victims of the crises will be innocent patients, healthcare professionals and the larger society that patronise our health facilities" Okara said. To further show their disapproval of certain sections of the bill, two days after addressing the press, the unionists in their thousands protested against the president assenting to the bill at the Eagle Square, Abuja. As early as 10am, the protesting health workers converged at the entrance of the Eagle Square, carrying placards with inscriptions: 'No to conflicting sections in the health bill,' 'Health Bill more crises in the health sector,' 'Mr. President don't sign the health Bill,' while singing solidarity songs.
Okara reiterated the stand of his group that the first part of the bill, which seeks to regulate and set standards for the practice of various health professionals, was unnecessary since there were professional organisations set up by the government to regulate the practice of various health professionals.
"The bill also assigned the power to prescribe functions and duties of various health professionals to itself. We believe the National Council on Establishment is already saddled with the responsibility to do that, and giving the same duty to any other body is duplications.
"We are also against the aspect of the bill which states that the National Hospital Commission should be headed by a medical doctor. We believe this position should be made open for every professional in the health sector to aspire to. We have complained to the Minister of Health on this issue, and nothing was done till the Senate passed the bill.
"We are, therefore, appealing to Mr. President not to assent to the bill until these grey areas are expunged. We are going to forward our letter to the President through the Secretary to the Government for the Federal," he said.
Unperturbed by the complaints of the other unions NMA which in February led women groups to the National Assembly to protest the non-passage of the bill immediately responded in a strong manner labelling as 'crass' the call made by the other health professionals that the bill should not be signed by the president. Without mincing words, Idris, who responded to the threats of the Assembly of Health professionals during a press briefing on May 26, said the Assembly of Health Care Professionals and unions opposition to the bill was selfish, adding that Jonathan should sign the bill into law.
He said, "Mr. President should not be distracted by unnecessary wrangling and threats. It is our fervent hope and expectations on behalf of many voiceless Nigerians that the president signs the bill to law." He posited that it was unfair for the other health professionals to accuse doctors and the Federal Ministry of Health of designing the bill with ulterior motives. For him, those who passed the bill should be commended, as it will improve healthcare delivery in all parts of the country as well as greatly reduce the infant -maternal mortality rates.
According to him unlike what had been said by other healthcare professionals who staged a protest over the bill, it does not "Abrogate any laws of the regulatory bodies." He equally said that opposition to the section of the bill which reserves the chairmanship of the proposed National Tertiary Hospitals Commission for doctors was unnecessary. He maintained that the doctor was the head of a medical team, "Excerpt in Nigeria there is no part of the world where the leadership role of doctors is brazenly assaulted by other healthcare professional," he said.
So far, none of the contending factions have softened its position over the health bill. Many are of the view that for the bill to bring about the much touted transformation to health sector, all professionals must agree to it, rather than the situation where some perceive that the bill as marginalising their profession. Many have expressed fear that if nothing is done to make the health bill acceptable to all, the war of words will not abate with patients suffering from the continued rivalry among health care professionals. Time will tell if the president will sign the bill. Though not a few stakeholders believe that Jonathan ought to seek means of assuaging the feelings of those aggrieved by controversial sections of the bill by finding a middle ground even it means his seeking an amendment of the bill.
The Patients must be our concern.

link for the federal government panel report on solution to professional disharmony in health sector. www.nigeriannma.org/vip/report.pdf

pls how do i begin a thread/ topic on nl.
thanks

please how do i send a thread /topic on nairaland

please don't compare nairaland and facebook. just as the other guy said: which serves your needs. I think nairaland is my first point of call anytime i log on the internet then seldom facebook. Nairaland is highly educative to nigerians but facebook is more, because if you want any information in any part of the world or island just search a friend who is online and the information is relayed. The financial implication of facebook shutting is global. The market value of facebook is $95 billion dollars. the advantages is too much to mention. But Seun can make nairaland more profitable and marketable in Nigeria here first before going global. Anything is possible, as far as you can think it.

abeg make my ac milan win oh . Though i also like juventus. But ac milan is my favourite just as i favour man city to carry the epl league cup.

no matter what, PDP can never beat oshiomole whether one man one vote or rigging. Come and see developmental projects over the city and the state. For the first time in my life i am seeing what is called renovation of facilities. Building of hospitals, schools, covered and pedestrian drains. THe only major project that nearly gave him a bad name is the airport road project. I still don't understand why that one went that way. Go and see the 5- junction road. It is a sight to behold.

God help Edo State.

This is the best governor now in Nigeria. He is doing great and i am proud of him and i hope God will continue to use to transform his state and the country in general. It amazed me that somebody would enter into public offices and continue to amass public funds to spend not in his lifetime but for generations to come.
God help us and protect him.

[b]Goodluck Nigeria. I am a strong fan of this political will-less president ever. It is a good thing that this administration is FOI conscious that is why you see the exposed corrupt Nigerians. But my problem with him is he is not courageous to lead us. I hope he would pick up because if he doesn't, it is no longer fresh air, it is now a polluted air.

This country has the greatest prospects and potentials among comity of nations but our problem is leadership and followership. May God Almighty help us. [color=#000000][/color]

we need to be pessimistic about this country because when we look at the kind of leaders we have, we begin to imagine. But on the other hand when you look at the potentials of individual Nigerians, the sheer prowess, industrious nature globally, i think and believe you should be proud to call yourself a Nigerian. Because the future holds the key for us. We have a disorganized state of running things in this country but we are the 2nd largest economy in subsaharan africa and 8 out of 40 richest africans are Nigerians.