Dr. Maymunah Yusuf Kadiri is so a Neuropsychiatrist/Physician, motivational speaker,an entrepreneur,- and consultdnt on mental health. She is the initiator of Pinnacle Speak out' Initiative an NGO that is sensitizing secondary school pupiTs on living in a drug. free environment. she speaks to Daily Sun on gender disparity as a challenge In ,the medical professfon. " Excerpt:
CAN you share the story of how you became a NeurOPsychiatrist/Physician?
Pinnacle Medical Service was born based on adrive inside of me. As a child, my parents were strict and would always keep us inside the house. I watched a video recorded by my dad when we were children, I 'discovered that in that video, that even 'as a child, I already knew what I wanted to beeome, . I decided to pursue my dream after my mother had a health deficit, She had .a miscarriage and that was it. I saw the emotional trauma she went through so I decided ,to deal with mental health. 'It became a' big struggle for me when Ldedded professionally to become a Neuro-Psychiatrist. My family was, againsi: it. My father spoke severally to me that Maymunah we don't have a mad person in our family, why not get into another' field but I insisted. She even pleaded that I should do Pediatrics but I refused because that is not my passion. I already -knew what I wanted. Nobody could talk me out of it. My family now supports me
In ,healthcare division, where everyone is building their personal brand ana reputatioi), how have you been able to manage the brand, the techniques you have applied to ensure that your personality and reputation stay relevant?
Generally, the healthcare sedor is highly competitive but one 'must have skills set to match the jab and the" personality to match the culture of whatever one, is' doing: ,In medicine,' there is an added challenge. It is not like' other profession. I 'am' a NeutoPsychiatrist a very challenging field of medicine but based on my interest and passion, I have been . able to pui:sue my dream and become relevant in my career: As a Neuro-PsyChiatrist, one 'must use diplomacY to pmm1e her cause because of the society we live in, The profession is stigmatized but I have been able to break out from the comfort of being static to dynamism. DigiW media has been an effective tool for me to drive my purpose.
I can tell that an average Nigerian is Unstable due to the harsh economic condition that we are faced with before you, make a cominent people are ready to react without finding out the' details. Mentally, we are unstable, what we do with the signals sent to our head matters a lot. A lot of people need the service of a Neuro-psychiarist, that does not mean you' have a mental disorder, My family and friends have become Neuro-Psychiatrists by association. However, the practice of medicine remains disproportionately male overall. In industrialized nations, the recent parity in gender of medical students has not yet trickled into parity in practice. In many developing nations, neither medical school nor practice approach gender parity. My passion is a technique that I have used to drive home the message.
How can a woman advance professionally in this medical field?
If a woman wants to advance to the top, what are the obstades she may face and how can she excel considering gender disparities?
Women are restricted in all professions but gender equality has not been achieved in the medical field here in Nigeria because medicine has its specialties. Equal employment opportunities are an issue. However, the practice of medicine remains disproportionately male overall. In industrialized nations, the recent parity in gender of medical students has not yet trickled into parity in practice.
In many developing nations, neither medical school nor practice approach gender parity. In medicine there are skews within the medical profession, that is some medical specialties, such as surgery, are significantly male-dominated, while other specialties are becoming female-dominated, specialties like physicians, pediatrics and female residents outnumber male residents in family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pathology, and psychiatry usually dominated by female.
Take a look at some of the obstacle women face especially the career woman; there is the challenge of discrimination, which I have established earlier. Recognition and ground breaking achievement are some of the hindrances affecting a woman's career as a medical practitioner. Women accept defeat, which to me is a distraction for a woman not to achieve the height of her career because of the men factor.
There is an increased number of women in allied health but the female practitioners tend to remain in direct line practice position while the men occupies managerial and executive position what do you think should be done to bridge the gap? The society lifted women's role as physicians, I mean reduce their capabilities, for instance, women are not surgeons but there is a mind blowing question I would -ask you right now the entering of women into medical school has it result to a decline in medicine. No, so why can't women who qualify for a managerial position or an Executive position be denied access to such opportunity? If women are in top leadership position will it change the structure or pattern of a leader?. Apart from the home front that usually affect the women that makes them shy away from leadership position, I will say that a woman should be given her right position if she qualifies for it. Women and men seat for the same exams, study in the environment why then when it comes to work, there is discrimination. I will suggest that women should be given the opportunity to occupy leadership position in whatever profession they are and the men should support them. What they need is encouragement. She can be a homemaker and also fulfill her ambition career wise. All they need is the chance, which the society has denied them.
Looking at the workload how do you manage your work life and family?
Actually, I have been able to change this perception about striking a balance between work and the home front. It is a whole lot I am doing, being married should not be an excuse for my career to suffer or my home. I have a system in place. It is a working system I have initiated into my life and I call it Balance Integrated Life. The reason is because our career varies and men have their peculiarities. It is difficult to just look out someone's mode of operandi and implement it in your home without a background check. I took it upon myself to govern the affairs as a delegate. I carry out the instruction of my husband. I make sure my home is conducive for all. My husband and kids gets the attention that is due them. I plan everything, must have time for my family. One important thing is cooking for my husband. A woman should not get to the point where she begins to give excuse that the pressure around her has prevented the woman from fulfilling that aspect of a homemaker. If anything goes wrong in my marriage I will be held responsible not anybody. There are times you have to compromise, so that your home will be.
Do you have any community-based' project and initiative that will aid your profession? ,
Yes I have begun community'based initiative. It is called the Pinnacle .Speak out initiative. We have integrated community based campaign where we,go into the interior, parts, those primitive areas, the streets, schools to, educate people of the danger in drug abuse. We take it upon ourselves because I actually collaborate with the media" volunteers, healtheare practitioners to help me take this campaign other side. It has been difficult to initiate the drug free club in secondary schools but we have been able to sensitized someof the schools around mainly private schools who have opened their door wide to receive, the initiative but have not been able to penetrate in public schools due to the cumbersome process in accessing them but the time we had a public school we were able to get the whole of Eti-Osa for the programme. I want to also, introduce 'the Drug Free Club in secondary schools in Nigeria but Lagos is the pilot state of this whole project I have already began the campaign on mental health in the Radio aspect of this organisation. It has been challenging though have been able to record some certain level of success.
By: Bianca Iboma
Daily Sun News
ABUJA: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
PORTHARCOURT: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
LAGOS: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
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