DISTURBED by the seeming unending professional rivalry in the health sector, the Guild of Medical Directors of private hospitals in Nigeria has  called for the convening of a high level meeting of all actors in the sector to stem the tide.

 

     President of the Guild, Dr. Tony Philips, made the observation in a chat with newsmen in Abuja.

 

  He said the special meeting would be a soul searching one, and enable stakeholders in the sector tell themselves the bitter truth and resolve all the lingering issues bedevilling the progress of the sector.

 

    He said the guild recently convened a meeting in Enugu to find lasting solution to the issues surrounding medical tourism in the country.

 

    “Over the years, medical tourism has been a problem to this country, because it tends to down play the capability of our doctors; it also tend to portray us to the outside world that we don’t have the capability to cope with our medical problems. This is not the truth. The case of the Governor of Kogi state showed that we have all that it takes, hence the need for the conference.”

 

     On why health workers in the private hospitals don’t go on strike, he said: “In private practice we don’t have anything like strike. These aberrations are only common in Nigeria.

 

    “In the medical circle, we have the medical team. In every civilized part of the world, the medical doctor is the head of the team. It is the only profession that cuts across every section of the health care services.

 

     “The best thing is that for us to hold a conference for all stakeholders in the health sector, just as what happened in the National Conference. We need to meet and place our grievances on the table and agree on how to sort them out. People should know their limitations.

 

     “Respect your profession and know where your limit stops. That is why you see pharmacists today treating patients. This is wrong. They have gone beyond their limitations. They should sell their drugs and that drug must be from a prescription.

 

    “Medical scientists also treat. They give the lab test and also from the result they start treating you. It is wrong.

 

     “It is good for us to meet. Somebody should be bold enough, either the minister or government should call us together in a forum and sit and give us a word not go beyond our boundary. They should then form a board to begin to monitor that and penalize those that are found wanting. “

 

    The Guild of medical Directors is a body of private medical practitioners who own and manage their own hospitals. It was established to ensure the sustenance of quality provision of medicare services to the Nigerian public in a rapidly advancing world economic environment, and to be the bridge that enables physicians in Nigeria to move effectively in the economic terrain of Nigeria, whilst dutifully and diligently performing their professional duty.

 

  As Medical Directors are held accountable by state legislators, regulators, and the judicial system for their clinical and administrative roles in health facilities, we are also dedicated to excellence in patient care and provide education and advocacy, information and professional development to promote the delivery of quality medicare.

 

 The Guild of Medical Directors, established in 1990, is governed by a board of trustees, with delegates in state chapters in all the geo-political zones of the federation.

by Emeka Anuforo