Dr Paul John said the FG should privatize the services of these other health professionals. Why should the FG not also privatize the services of doctors in the first place? Can someone see with me, how arrogance is dripping from the pen of Dr Paul? This is what I am trying to point out. I can see the mantra of Dr Paul for the FG is, “treat the gander anyhow, but give the goose the best attention”! And this is why JOHESU is reminding the government to be fair-minded in her treatment of both goose and gander since she (JOHESU) has observed double standard on the part of government.

 

Also, am very worried about the manner Dr Paul even quotes and draws analogies from the Holy Scriptures (a Sacred book that preaches and teaches humility) to defend his arrogant views. In fact, he stated this in his open letter, “Even God in heaven never wasted anytime when Satan started this issue of 'international best practices'. The book of revelation reported that when Satan who was made to be under God (the way the JOHESU members are naturally trained to assist and take instructions from doctors) suddenly came up with demands similar to what we have today among our paramedical professionals, a war broke out in heaven and the concluding part of that passage said that, 'they loved not their life unto death”. I have two things to say here:

 

a) Can a sane mind fathom this analogy? So the doctors have become “God” while other health professionals (under the umbrella of JOHESU) have become “Satan”? O my God, is this not “arrogance par excellence”?

 

b) Permit me to say here that Dr Paul’s usage of Holy Scripture quotations to defend his positions is simultaneously incoherent and disjointed. Someone should tell him that!

 

Space may not permit me to look into the demands JOHESU is asking for. But summarily, JOHESU is asking the FG to give her members fair, equitable and corresponding treatment to her members as given to doctors. Besides, some of these demands have already been addressed by National Industrial court, waiting for FG to implement. The health sector is a field that is interdisciplinary and complementary. The doctors need the nurses, physiotherapists and other health professionals (and vice versa). That is why it is a team.

 

In a football team, we have a coach who supervises and coordinates the actions of the striker, midfielder, defender and goal keeper. A good and sincere minded coach carries all the team players along. He makes sure that each of the “departments” in his team is fully equipped. He does not give his striker better treatment at the expense of his defender or goal keeper. Thus he ensures each are at “optimal level of performance”. JOHESU is asking the FG to treat every team player equitably and fairly.

 

A football striker cannot do the job of a midfielder, neither can he perform the duties of the defender and goalkeeper. No doubt, the clinical team is led by a doctor. But if the football striker feels he is more important in the football pitch, let him enter the game and play simultaneously the roles of the midfielder, defender and goalkeeping. What we are witnessing in Nigerian health sector is a scenario where the coach has given preferential attention to the striker, at the expense of the midfielder, defender and goal keeper.

 

I am not happy either that strike actions have become more common in the health sectors here in Nigeria. Why? The patient suffers most. I believe this JOHESU strike would not last long. However the FG should do the needful towards giving all health workers (doctors and other health professionals) fair and equitable treatment. The goose should be given good treatment as well as the gander.

 

That reminds me; I have an advice for the federal ministry of health.

Now that the FG has issued that timely circular conferring consultancy status to other health professions, the ministry should regularize these health professions, and if possible create an atmosphere in which the respective health professional bodies are efficient. What do I mean here? If you go to Australia and Singapore, you will find the Dietitians Association of Australia and Singapore Nutrition and Dietetics Association (SNDA).  Already here in Nigeria, we have the Nigeria Society of physiotherapy (NSP). The professional bodies of these other health professions should be given the same breathing space that NMA/MDCAN enjoys.

 

 

I also want to make a recommendation. The normal practice in medicine is that for one to become a consultant, he/she must have completed his/her undergraduate medical school training program, before entering into an area of specialization (or what is commonly called residency).

 

At the end of residency, the physican writes a professional examination, and if successful, can be granted the license to practice as a consultant. Residency is similar to postgraduate studies. For example, a physician who wants to become a consultant anesthesiologist must have completed the basic number of years in undergraduate medical school training program, like any other physician. He/she then begins residency program in anaesthesiology. Residency program in anesthesiology is six years in Hong Kong, four/five years in Italy, five years in Scandinavia, six years in Guatamelaa, five years in Netherlands, five years in Canada, five years in Australia and New Zealand.  He/she then goes into training (trainee), which after a number of years, is certified/conferred consultant by the relevant board.

 

The point I am trying to make is this, now that the FG has granted consultancy status to other health professionals (e.g physiotherapists, nurses), the FG through the Ministry of Health should also accommodate residency programs/any postgraduate training program similar to residency  for these other professionals (as the doctors have). I learnt the Nigerian Society of Physiotherapists have submitted a proposal to begin Physiotherapy Residency program here in Nigeria. Is that not a step in the right direction?

 

I would also want to encourage health workers under these other health professions to utilize this “new consultancy window” granted them by the FG, to go for further studies, accredited postgraduate training research and updating of professional knowledge in line with the latest standard of best practices of their respective professions. By so doing, they would silence critics in NMA/MDCAN. I encourage these health professionals to embrace whatever latest trend in their respective health professional practice, and become conversant with it.

 

As I once said, let me make myself clear. The medical profession is a noble profession. I can and will never dispute that in my lifetime. It is a thing of joy to see that God almighty the Creator or man and woman, who desires us to be in good health, made it possible that man has access to a form of knowledge concerning human health, which has helped to extend the lifespan of men on earth. This is what doctors do. Many of us would have died through one illness or the other, had it been there were no doctors. Can any sane mind imagine how the world would look like had it been there were no medical doctors? Thus their presence in the society is a gift from God to men. But they should not be arrogant, especially here in Nigeria. Just as the medical profession is noble, other health professions are noble in their own right and merit. This privilege (and I still call it a privilege) to learn about human health ought to make doctors more humble in rendering health care giving services.

 

Dr Paul John should kindly take note of this truth if he truly has ears to listen!

 

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