It has been a pathetic situation at all federal and state-owned hospitals across the country as services were totally shut down by medical doctors, under the auspices of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), leaving hundreds of patients, who turned up for appointments left unattended to.
From Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), idi-araba, Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Ebutte-Metta, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Orthopaedic Hosiptal, Igbobi, and Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, all in Lagos, the story remains the same.
Many patients, fragile and downcast, were wrapped in their loin clothes. New patients were rejected outright as no medical personnel, even from the cadre of House Officers to Consultant was around to attend to patients. Patients that needed critical care were carried into chartered cabs at the nearby park, with their relations carrying their personal effects.
The beehive of activities at different hospital wards-Accident and Emergency (AE) as well as other departments such as medical-out patients, paediatrics, surgery, labour, obstetrics and gynaecology, were devoid of medical doctors as lamentations from patients on admission in those wards recount their ordeal.
Some patients expressed worry should the industrial action continue. While they (patients) lamented that industrial action, especially by health workers was becoming too frequent with patients always at the receiving end, they opined that strike action should not be experienced in the health sector; it is so sensitive as human lives are involved.
They believed that industrial action in public health institutions is usually at the detriment of an average Nigerian who could hardly afford to pay private hospital bills with a vast population of 160 million Nigerians not covered by health insurance.
Tolulope Adebayo, a business woman, whose mother was admitted at LUTH, said it was unfortunate the government and doctors are taking the lives of patients for granted in view of the ongoing strike action. According to Adebayo “I took my mum to LUTH yesterday (Tuesday) only to be informed that medical doctors are on strike. Since her illness is that of intense stomach pain, i cannot leave her in the hands of a nurse or student doctor. The doctor that is meant to handle her care is not around. From the way it looks, I have no choice than to take her to a private hospital for medicare.”
At Federal Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, a notice of the ongoing industrial action by doctors is boldly written with patients turned back from the entrance gate of the hospital. Inside the hospital, few patients were seen with BusinessDay Investigation revealing that the hospital was planning to discharge patients to avoid any casualty. At LASUTH, only nurses were seen attending to patients who refused to leave. This development nationwide has left healthcare in the hands of consultant pharmacists, lab technologists, nurses, optometrists, physiotherapists and radiographers.
Agitation by doctors
The shutdown of healthcare services nationwide by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) is following Federal Government refusal to accede to the Union’s 23-point demands.
Kayode Obembe, National President, NMA, said that NMA is opposed to the proliferation of directors in the teaching hospital as it demands for the appointment of a Surgeon-General of the Federation. Obembe stated that the title ‘Consultant’ in a hospital setting describes the relationship between the specialist medical doctor and his patient as a source of confusion if the title is applied to any other health worker who statutorily does not own patient.
The NMA President added that Government should expedite the passage of the National Health Bill (NHB), and extend Universal Health Coverage to cover 100 percent of Nigerians and not 30 percent as currently prescribed by National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Francis Faduyile, chairman, Lagos NMA, stated that the association embarked on the nationwide strike following FG’s inability to resolve issues related to the appointment of Chief Medical Directors and other federal appointments in the health sector.
Faduyile stated that the position of the Chief Medical Director or Medical Director must continue to be occupied by a medical doctor as contained in the Act establishing tertiary hospitals, a situation that remains sacrosanct and untouchable.
“Hazard allowance must be at least N100,000 per month for Medical Doctors; FG through the Federal Ministry of Health should formalise and implement the report of the interagency committee on residency training as well as release the uniform template on appointment of Resident Doctors in line with earlier agreements. Government should set up a health trust fund that will enhance upgrade of all hospitals,” Faduyile explained.
Other demands border on salary increment, establishment of a health trust fund for the upgrade of every public hospital facilities, retention of the post of the Deputy Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, etc. Some aspects of the demands have already pitted the Union with other professionals in the sector like the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), etc.
Whither the ‘Hippocratic oath’
This industrial action in the health sector, observers believe, calls to mind the relevance of the famous Hippocratic Oath sworn to by doctors on graduation from medical school which is key to the essence of medical practice globally. The Hippocratic Oath requires a new physician to swear upon a number of healing gods that he will uphold a number of professional ethical standards.
While the patient is the reason for medical practice, without the patient, there will be no doctor, nurse, pharmacist or any other medical professional.
Another part of the Oath states: “But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God.”
It is questionable whether the part of the Oath which states: “I will not permit considerations of religion, nationality, race, party politics or social standing to intervene between my duty and my patient,” is still valid considering that the essence of the strike.
“May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help,” the oath continues.
The validity of the declaration of this part of the Oath is currently in doubt. Multitudes of patients are expected to throng these hospitals seeking healing but their cries may be in vain as the doors of the health houses remains shut against the key essence of the physicians’ practice.
