The Momentous Times..
My dear Hippocratic sibling,
"Once to every man and nation, comes the moment to decide, in the strife of truth with falsehood, for the good or evil side, some great cause, some grat decision, offering each the bloom or blight, and the choice goes by forever, 'twixt that darkness and that light" James Russel Lowell (1819-1891)
Yes, it is true that we have come a long way of 23 days of total strike, by our own recent standard, at least. It is a time for sober reflection of where we are coming from in order to know where we are and where we are going. We are coming from the glorious height of medical practice we often quote as the good old days. The good old days when a medical doctor, not even the Consultant, enters the ward and the matron in charge rises up to welcome him. The good old days when the Pharmacist courteously seeks clarification on a doctor's prescription. The good old days when the laboratory technologist respectfully brings the prepared slide to the Pathologist for histopathological diagnosis. The good old days when the theatre nurse gowns the surgeon and hands over instruments with a sense of duty. The good old days when the radiographer knows who calls the shot for a contrast study. The good old days when the administrative staff dutifully takes dictation of the letter to be typed for the medical director.
Where are we today? Every paramedic or allied heath worker wants to be a Consultant, a Director and ultimately the Chief Medical Director. The laboratory 'scientist' claims autonomy from the laboratory physician and states allegiance to his or Director or Deputy Director. The nurse on the ward points to where the case note and sphygmomanometer are for the doctor to pick. The student nurse does not want to pour water for a Consultant to wash his hands. The pharmacist tells the patient that the doctor has prescribed a drug that does not work. The physiotherapist tells the patient that the fracture was not properly fixed by the orthopaedic surgeon. Our authority in the Hospital has been eroded by appointments made by Boards of Hospital on the advice of Chief medical Directors. Our brothers in government at various levels have forgotten their Hippocratic source and speak tongue-in-cheek to please their principal in Aso Rock. Our salary relativity have been eroded by MOUs signed and discarded once we leave the negotiation room. Our CMDs refuse to skip salary level for their siblings while they do so for JOHESU. Those and other reasons stated in our 24-point demands is the REASON we painfully decided to withdraw our services from our patients we so much cherish.
What is our vision? Where are we going? Hospitals devoid of anarchy where we practice with peace of mind without the fear of being held hostage by JOHESU and their allies in government. Hospitals where we don't have to say we are in charge because it is obvious. Hospitals where order reigns in place of patients wondering who is the leader. A health sector where the best global practice reigns in place of anarchy and terror. The mission we chose is the withdrawal of service. It was well considered. State delegates debated the how to prosecute it and the members of the NOC, Chairmen of States and FCT and leader of affiliates were loud in saying YES to withdraw our services totally and indefinitely. This is a clarion call not to become weary when we are almost there. We support our NOC and the Negotiating Team at this darkest moment before dawn. We are not swayed by the monetary aspect of our demand, though we do not hate money. We must get all we need to get now that the pressure is on the Government. Failure to get our dues and allowances by accepting promisory notes will result in eternal loss of the glory of the medical profession. We will be worse than where we were before we started. The FGN has a national election to campaign for and win. We are not sure of what February 14, 2015 has in store for us. Are we going to wait for the new budget which will not be passed, from antecedent, before the elections to get our arrears? It will not be wise enough to follow that pathway.
Finally, I plead with our brothers in government at all levels, including all Directors, Director-Generals of parastatals and Hospitals to direct their plea to their principal in Aso Rock to do the needful They should leave those of us who face the ignominy in our Hospitals to prosecute this struggle to its logical conclusion. We knew propaganda will come from all sources. But they should spare us their own pressure and advice at this critical moment. We understand their conflict of interest. They should end up on the positive side of history and posterity and not like the minister of health who ended up ignominously among his Hippocratic siblings. Please pardon my lengthy mail. I just poured out my love and passion for our noble profession which I believe you share with me. The original Greek via Latin word, krisis, means, "decisive moment" , The momentous moment to seize the moment is now! We cannot afford to miss this moment. Crisis reveals character. Victoria est certa.
Your Hippocratic brother,
Dr Adefemi O. Afolabi
Division of Endocrine & Hepatobiliary Surgery
Department of Surgery
College of Medicine, University of Ibadan
University College Hospital
PMB 5116, Ibadan, Oyo State
Nigeria 200001
Tel: Mobile: 234-805-658-9447, 234-803-327-4038
Home:
Office: 234-2-2410088 Ext: 3766 or 2500
Fax: 234-2-2411768
Web:http://www.comui.edu.ng/faculties/clinicalscience/surgery/afolabi
