Posted on: Wed 29-01-2014

 
A HEALTH professional and former Nigerian Ambassador to the Netherlands, Dr. Olatokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu, has proposed the principle of clinical governance as solution to the perennial crisis within the nations health sector. Speaking during the official commissioning of the new Surgical Skills Training Centre and the Assisted Conception Centre & Colposcopy Unit at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Awolowo-Dosunmu, who is Chairman, LUTH Management Board, suggested the initiative as the way forward out of the quagmire while reflecting on her plans and expectations for the tertiary health institution in the near future.

The Board Chairman who witnessed the altercation and open protest by members of the striking LUTH branch of the Medical & Health Workers Union, expressed her expectations from the suggested principle of clinical governance.

"I have a blueprint which is clinical governance, and I believe it is the way to go. Clinical governance sets out policies and very clear guidelines about what happens. There are policies on every issue imaginable, employment policies that everyone signs up to immediately they get employed. It is not just rules and regulations, it is also about the development of every individual within that organisation - their training, setting goals annually, doing an appraisal, seeing how far you have come with your goal and then finding out if you reached the goal or why you didn't reach the goal and what other goals you want to set for yourself in just one year. That way, every body gains and not everybody has to be the boss."

Noting that the healthcare sector required a revamp, she remarked: "To work on clinical governance, I really believe in it and it is not just a LUTH thing. It should be nationwide and should involve all the regulatory bodies, the Medical and Dental Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, and others who will set up the guidelines on promotions.

"This has to be more global and holistic and address every area of practice so that everyone knows where they stand and in any situation you can refer to the rules and regulations so you do not go wrong."

Commenting on the prevailing crisis at the institution, the Board Chairman observed that as one of the leading hospitals in Nigeria, it was only to be expected that in any agitation or crisis, the focus of the agitation would be situated in LUTH for maximum impact.

"The fact that this has taken place today on a day when the Board was supposed to meet and has invited the press to cover an event that we should all applaud. I expected it to happen in view of the ongoing crisis.

"To talk about the way forward, there is a short term, medium term, and long term strategy. In the short term, the only thing is negotiation and to see what of the workers' demands can be met reasonably. The hope is that both parties in negotiation will give and take, and understand that the negotiation necessarily includes compromise in certain areas."

Awolowo-Dosunmu said: "In the short term they will continue the negotiation in a peaceful manner with a larger picture in mind, knowing that there are patients involved and the survival of the institution is at stake. Let us remember that LUTH is not the only institution affected, it is nationwide thing.

"I'm speaking to all the local and state chapters. Negotiate and go back to work. Demands will always be made, but negotiation is ongoing. Make your demands, negotiate, get what you want move on till the next one."

On the medium to long term, she said: "I believe the time has come for policy makers, government, management to put very clear guidelines in place that will govern the conduct of both the managers of the people, and conduct of the work so that everyone knows what is what, knows how many positions are available in a particular cadre, so that we do not all feel that because we have been on the same level for five years, we are all entitled to move to the next level. I do not think there is any organisation that works like that. There is always a structure and I think that structure needs to be clearly set out so that the whole house does not crash down over everyone's head."

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE,
Vanguard

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