Some people are so heartbroken... Nemenma Echendu wrote:

Some people are so heartbroken... Nemenma Echendu wrote:

"Ndukwe, so u r one of d mediocres that think doctors should only be seen, not heard? I feel sorry 4 u, I wonder if there is any cerebral activity going on in dat head of urs, now dis is y we r fighting! Doctors in d past where treated wt respect, nd dignity and as we kp on struggling everyday 2 read our books and upgrade ourselves academically(doctors keep reading and still subjected 2 mind breaking, terribly stressful exams, just 2 make sure, u Ndukwe get all d benefits of coming 2 d hosp, @ least d part in our hands, and u want us 2 kp quiet and watch some mediocres, who most tyms in d hospitals frustrate pt care, strip us our dignity, and all u can say 2 us is, mehn, shut up, go carry ur books and read, let me shock u, we did not go 2 schl, so as to carry our bks and read, we went 2 schl, and continue schooling 4 ur sakes, and if u cannot appreciate dat, its rather unfortunate, because, u and ur cohorts are d canckerworm and caterpillars eating deep into d value system and d principles, our teachers upheld and passed down 2 us. dat is what we r fightn 4, we must fight 2 maintain d Sanctity of Medicine, which our Fathers had in dere days and decided 2 pen down d Hippocratic Oath. but since u all think we r irrelevant noisemakers, we hav decided 2 lay down our stethoscopes and leave d platform 4 dose dat think dey r better qualified, nd just lyk Jesus said, Jerusalem, u murder ur prophets and kill dose sent to u, never again will u see me till u say blessed is He dat comes in d name of d Lord!" we r nt going bk 2 wrk until u Ndukwe and ur lyks realise, u hv killed ur prophets and murdered dose sent 2 u. "for if d foundations be Shaken, what can d righteous do", no wonder David cried out in d Psalms "oh Lord, do not let d sceptre of d Wicked remain over d Land allotted 2 d righteous, for then they may use dere hands 2 do evil"!, its a fight 2 finish doctors! let us win back our birthright. dey collected d food we were carrying in our hands, we did nothing, we were abt 2 drink our water, bt dey hit it away 4rm our hands, still we kept quiet, nw dey want 2 collect d one dat we r chewing in our mouths, and because we say NOO!, dey say we r monsters, ok, let dem continue, bt I know Diaaaarrrrisss GOD!"

JUST SO THAT WE'RE CLEAR ON THIS ISSUE

Every profession has it strata. These stratitifications aяє designated ῳːτϞ certain ranking titles to distinguish members and their roles. 

ΨϞατ do I mean by thϊs? In the Military for instance, there aяє Lieutenants, Captains, Major, Colonels and Generals. The Police have Corporals, Sergeants, Superintendents, Commissioners, Inspector General. The Civil Defence uses Cadets...up to Commandants. (Don't get bored by these names: a little more knowledge outside your field of study doesn't hurt!)

•In Nursing, there aяє τϞє Nursing Officer 2 (NO-2), NO-1, SNO, CNO (aka Matrons) and PNO for Senior, Chief and Principal Nursing Officers.
•The Medical Doctors have τϞє House Officers, τϞє Medical Officers, Registrars, Senior Registrars and Consultants.
•The MedLab Scientist have their ranks. So does the Radiographers and the Pharmacists. Doctors don't ever want to share τϞє post of "Principal" as much as τϞє Pharmacist wouldn't bear "Matrons".

For the avoidance of doubt, these titles aяє all English words, not Swahili and anyone can undastand ΨϞατ a "Principal" means...but Ψє all choose these different words to identify our member of staff.

All these aяє titles that applies to different professions and serves to distinguish one member of a certain rank from another, to prevent ambiguity and distinguish one member of a certain profession from another. Now, ΨϞατs my point in thϊs?

It makes sense that if an Inspector is mentioned, ones mind tilts toward de police. ΤϞє word General will denote a Military personnel... so also, if a person asks for a CNO or Matron as they aяє usually called, it'll be quickly undastood τhατ it's a Nurse required. Similarly, if a person asks for a Consultant, it's delineated to mean τhατ a Medical Doctor is needed.

Why in God's name does every other hospital staff feel τhατ if τϞєy don't share thϊs Medical Doctors ranking title of Consultant, τϞєy'll not rest...and yet no one else seem to see thϊs troublesome tendencies in these guys or realize τhατ these aяє τϞє real people fermenting trouble in τϞє health sector. 

They heat up τϞє hospital ῳːτϞ unruly demands, lock up items, even Oxygen. Shut down τϞє Labs and make patients suffer in a bid to make us react. And when Ψє say "Enough is enough" τϞє public labels us τϞє "Evil one", just like τϞє bad housewife who quietly torments her husband by serving him bad meals, witholding sex and persistently nagging; she bothers τϞє husband to a point where he raises his hand on her and τϞє whole world sees him as a monster and a bully. 

The training aяє all different, the pay scale is different, so is τϞє job description and rank titles. Much more astonishing is τϞє fact τhατ no one stops to ask them why they want to make Consultant out of Nurses, Pharmacists, MedLab Scientists, Radiographer, HealthRecord Staff and Cleaners?

ΨϞy create all thϊs mix-up...Is it so as τo decieve τϞє unsuspecting public (who often refer to everyone working in τϞє Hospital as doctor) or even deceive yourselves τhατ there's no difference btw you and τϞє Medical Doctor?...(my dear, there is and will always continue to be a difference). Ψє believe this would promote mediocrity - as people will no longer see τϞє need for hard to be Doctors if they can bear Consultants in τϞє same hospitals ῳːτϞ Doctors and earn similar pay...even after dropping out of Medicine program.

Here lies τϞє problem, this issue won't just begin and end ῳːτϞ sharing of τϞє title of Consultant...Ψє think τhατ thϊs is a careful plan to "porous" τϞє Medical profession, usurp τϞє Doctors position and benefits ῳːτϞout recourse to sacrifice, hardwork and excellence in service!

Just as τϞєre can never be Colonels and Generals in the Police and Civil Defence, there ʂhσʊl∂ never be Consultant Cleaners or Nurses in τϞє Hospital...even if a half-baked judge rules in their favor!

...I seriously don't mind if nobody comments on this article. I'ḿ grateful yσυ took τϞє time to read it anyway. Pls feel free to delete it from your Wall after reading. Don't ask ʍε to un-tag yσυ.

Minister of Health fumes over fresh demands from doctors..NMA Strike

THE Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, has expressed dissatisfaction with the decision of doctors under the aegis of Nigeria Medical Association to continue with the ongoing strike.

Chukwu said the Federal Government had hoped that the doctors would call off the strike after its Emergency Delegates Meeting that ran through Monday till the early hours of Tuesday (yesterday).

According to him, the doctors after the meeting insisted on continuing with the strike because the Federal Government offers are not in tandem with their expectations.

Chukwu who spoke in Lagos yesterday , said the doctors gave three fresh demands revolving around payment of their six months arrears, approval of skipping of levels for some cadres of doctors and appointment of other health professionals as consultants as conditions for ending the strike.

He lamented that in spite of government efforts to end the strike, the workers remained resolute to continue the strike.

He said, “I got a call that made it clear to me that after our long overnight meeting and in spite of the fact that I, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and some lawmakers went to address them around 11pm; they resolved not to return to work.

“We are actually addressing most of the issues that can be addressed through administrative processes. With that, we expected them to return to work but that has not happened.

“As a doctor, without sounding immodest, I am convinced this is one strike that should not have taken place.”

He said the ministry of health and finance has begun moves to clear the arrears, adding that matters relating to skipping and appointment of consultants were still in court.

Chukwu said, “They are requesting that accrued arrears since January be paid, saying until they receive the alert on their phone they will not call off the strike. But, we pleaded with them to be patient owing to the fact that the appropriation bill took long to be passed and the issue of relativity was new. It is something that did not exist until January.

“Another reason they gave for not returning to work has to do with the issue of consultants. Since the 70s to 90s, non-medical doctors have been appointed by various hospitals and those hospitals are being managed by medical doctors.

“Again, when NMA complained, I stopped it. It was also the reason why others went to court and the court ruled that the ministry and government have the right to decide who should be a consultant in their hospitals but NMA asked the ministry to disobey the court, which is not possible.

Meanwhile, the senate yesterday appealed to the striking doctors under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association to call off their one-week industrial action to avoid further loss of lives.

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, stated this when he presided over the plenary where the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, updated his colleagues on efforts being made to resolve the strike which had paralysed activities in all public hospitals.

Ekweremadu maintained that the continued absence of the medical practitioners from their duty posts was seriously affecting the masses most of who could not afford the cost of treating themselves in privately owned health facilities in the country.

“We are seizing this opportunity to appeal to the doctors who are currently on strike to call off their industrial action because as long as they continue in the action, the casualty figure will keep increasing” ,he said.

Okowa had, while raising a point of order on the issue, explained that his committee had met with the leadership of the NMA, an action he added, necessitated the setting up of a Presidential Technical Committee headed by the Secretary to the Federal Government, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim.

He said the technical committee which also had members of the NMA as members, held a marathon meeting where the leadership of the striking doctors appealed to their members in the specialist health institutions to resume work.

He said while the NMA members in the tertiary health institutions had since resumed at their duty posts, the overall body had yet to start attending to patients.

The senator however assured the senate that his committee would continue to mediate in the industrial logjam until all the grey areas are resolved and the strike called off.

THE JOHESU BROUHAHA .......MY PERSONAL OPINION

Commenting on a topic, "most preferred course of choice in Nigerian Universities". According to the write up, medicine came first as the most preferred choice even though it is only offered by about 34 of the about 124 universities in Nigeria. Most contributors gave different reasons why it is most preferred, ranging from renumeration and prestige to excellence. 
My own contribution viz; "From the comments made by contributors, it seems most people appreciate the fact that medicine is one of the most sensitive (I am trying to avoid the word "most difficult") course of study in our tertiary institution largely because it deals with human life and the uncertainties (one is not sure if he will eventually become a doctor or not), even the best students in first year could be withdrawn the following year. When I was in school, over 400 of us gained admission to study medicine but less than 120 of us who gained admission together graduated. It is also a known fact that after several attempts at entering medical school, most students eventually settle for related courses like Medical Laboratory Sciences, Nursing, Physiotherapy, pharmacy (Note that a good number of students also choose these courses as their first choice course ab initio). 
Having stated the above, it is crass injustice for someone who knew from the beginning that he could not study medicine (for reasons best known to him, be it academic challenges, time spent in the training amongst others) to now realize that the name "doctor" is dignifying, and hence, desires to be called doctor(and or consultant) because he works in a tertiary institution and has garnered some years of experience. This is comparable to technologists who refer to themselves as engineers simply because they know how to assemble machines. What matters most is the qualification and not the number of years spent assisting a medical doctor.
I support that health care workers can and should aspire to whatever they want and to whatever extent. They can still be called doctors. All they need do is complete a masters degree program and a PhD. I know some Nurses who are professors, same with pharmacists. In the USA states of Arizona, and some other states, it is an offense to address yourself as "doctor" if you are not a medical doctor without stating your profession immediately( there should be no room for patients to assume you are a medical doctor when you are not). Let me emphasize that a doctor will never fight to head a pharmaceutical company. We all knew what we wanted before we wrote UME(JAMB) .... This short cut approach must be rejected. I was in Microbiology 300L when I got admission into 100L medicine, I knew what I wanted. I had classmates who were nurses, medical lab scientist, who wanted to become doctors; they took UME again. 
Renumeration of doctors should not be compared to any other allied health profession. Google is our friend and we can always ask. Is there anywhere in the world where pharmacists, medical lab scientists, nurses and others earn the same renumeration? If there is any, please let me know.
It is quite unfortunate to see the pharmacists I once respected stoop so low, finding themselves in the nexus of abhorrent disgruntled elements of disappointed and frustrated persons fighting against not only medical doctors but themselves (because they are reducing the practice of pharmacy to drug dispensing). What happened to industrial pharmacy, what happened to drug formulation and research? I was once envious of a classmate who later became a pharmacist. While I was still doing my internship, she was done with hers(no thanks to our extended academic calendar of 6+X years as against hers of fixed 5 years), she was working in a pharmaceutical company, earning a fat salary, had an official car and a driver. Her renumeration and job description was very good and juicy, but that is her calling not for a medical doctor.
In every strata of life, in every team, there is always a leader, one leader, that's why we have only one pope, only one Nigerian president, only one state governor, only one captain and indeed only one chief medical director (who must be a doctor) which must be earned and not gotten through the back door.
Note that only doctors have been appointed Director General of WHO since inception, yet we have other health workers who work for WHO. The present Director General, Margaret Chan should be an inspiration to JOHESU members because she was a home economics teacher before going back to school to study medicine.
My sincere advise to JOHESU is to lead by example, they should propose an arrangement that gives health workers(apart from medical doctors) equal rights viz; the pharmacy technicians should be allowed to head the pharmacy department, auxiliary nurses and B.Sc. nurses should be paid exactly the same salary and have the same type of promotions(since they can all administer injections and dress wounds), laboratory technicians should be allowed to be the assistant head of a laboratory departments assisting a consultant pathologist. If they can successfully implement the above for 5 to 10 years, and the model works perfectly well, then maybe the federal government can look into their request.
Indeed the patient care should be a team work involving the pharmacist, laboratory scientist, nurses with medical doctors at the centre. Any attempt to take the sole responsibility way from the medical doctor will lead to chaos and serious disaster.
I must confess, the turn of events in recent years is not encouraging, it has a most negative effect on the already brain drain that has plagued the Nigerian health sector, what they should be fighting for(collectively, doctors inclusive) should be how to increase the slots for residency training, better renumeration and welfare package across board,how to promote research and get scholarships to further enhance skills and build career, cooperate with doctors to ease the admission of their children into medical school so that their desire can come into fruition. I believed in our generation, we must fight together, my friends who are pharmacist, physiotherapist and nurses know we are not the same, their "ogas" should stop the Tom and Jerry display of ignorance and comic. Yes, I respect them, I respect every other health worker, they have their role which must be respected and indeed the best patient outcome is in team work.
The reason that doctors go on strike in order to increase private patronage is not only myopic but a serious neurological deficit on the part of those who have such reasoning. What will you say when pharmacist and lab scientists go on strike, where do patients buy drugs from( they don't only go on strike, but they frustrate the effort of anyone who choose to deliver care by switching of power generators, hiding surgical instruments, locking up stores amongst others). Yes, most doctors have private hospitals in order to meet the increasing demands in the health sector but pharmacist and others also own pharmacy shops and laboratories, committing the most heinous crimes of consulting, examining and treating patients in their shops which is not designated for such, oh what a lawless nation. Most patients have worsened their clinical condition and indeed died from such crimes. Permit me to call their act genocide of the highest order towards Nigerians.
On this note, I appeal to the federal government to call a spade a spade, to consider the sufferings of the poor patients and do the needful. Medical doctors and indeed the patients deserve more than this ill treatment.
Long live NARD
Long live NMA.
Long live the Federal republic of Nigeria.
Dr Eilojie Omobude
MBChB.
Immediate Past ASG ARD, UBTH.
Former NiMSA president
References: 
1.http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/02/health/policy/02docs.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
2.http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Health_Organization#Governance_and_support
3. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brock_Chisholm
4.http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshi_Nakajima
5.http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gro_Harlem_Brundtland Former prime minister of Norway 
6. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Jong-wook
7.http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anders_Nordström
8. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Chan
9.http://www.forbes.com/pictures/efkk45hlhe/no-1-best-paying-job-anesthesiologists/
10.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/9834351/Best-paid-jobs-in-the-UK.html?frame=2465310
11.http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johns_Hopkins_Hospital#Dean.2F_CEO_of_Johns_Hopkins_Medicine
12.http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harsh_Vardhan_(Delhi_politician)
13. http://www.nairaland.com/1800627/most-preferred-courses-nigerian-universities
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Chan

Margaret Chan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Margaret Chan Fung Fu-chun, OBEMDJP (born 1947 in Hong Kong) is the...
EN.M.WIKIPEDIA.ORG

JOHESU nearly killed him if not.....When/where there is no Doctor #NMA Strike

My friend just called me now that He went to the hospital with his father who was complaining of Headache and Epigastric pain of 5 days duration. On getting to the GOPD, they found a Lab Technologist? Scientist on duty and his father presented his complains and his BP was 130/70mmHg.

 My friend then asked...What is diagnosis of Baba, The Consultant lab scientist told him that Baba has HYPERTENSION plus FEVER and the following drugs was prescribed to them: 

1- Tab Nifedipine 20mg tds 

2- Tab Amlodipine 10mg tds

 3- Tab Aldomet 500mg bd 

4- Tab Moduretic 100mg tds

 5- Tab Dilclofenac 75mg bd

 6- Tab Vitamin C 100mg daily

 And they were told to come back next week when Doctors call off their strike....

..I was a little bit asleep but this terrible blunders Woke me Up....#oh my patients#

If not my timely intervention, my guys dad will first delve into Hypotensive crisis den start discussing with his ancestors via profuse GI bleeding 

JOHESU JOHESU chai chai..dis blood u re shearing ooooooo..oh 

24 Demands of NMA / NARD..FG please grant this for the sake of our patients

OPEN LETTER TO THE SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERATION 

Senator Anyim Pius Anyim
Secretary to the Government of the Federation
Shehu Shagari Complex
Three Arms Zone
Abuja.

Your Excellency,

FACING THE CHALLENGES IN THE HEALTH SECTOR.

RESOLUTIONS OF THE NIGERIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (NMA) NATIONAL OFFICERS’ COMMITTEE (NOC) MEETING HELD ON THE 10TH OF JUNE, 2014 AT THE NATIONAL SECRETARIAT AND SUBMITTED TO THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE FEDERATION WEDNESDAY 11TH JUNE 2014.

1. The post of Deputy Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (DCMAC) has been circularized and operational. Rather than abolish it, the NMA hereby demands that four (4) DCMACs for teaching hospitals and three (3) for the Federal Medical Centres be appointed forthwith to assist the CMACs whose statutory responsibilities are too heavy for any single individual to handle. Directors in other government agencies are supported by several Deputy Directors, why not the CMAC who is also a Director? Such a DCMAC must have same qualifications as the CMAC.  www.medicalworldnigeria.com

2. The NMA is opposed to the appointment of Directors in the Hospitals. This Position distorts the chain of command in the hospital, induces anarchy and exposes the patient to conflicting treatment and management directives with attendant negative consequences.

3. The NMA demands that grade level 12 (CONMESS 2) in the health sector MUST be SKIPPED for medical doctors. Consequently no medical/dental practitioners should be on that grade level anymore.

4. The title “CONSULTANT” in a hospital setting describes the relationship between the Specialist Medical Doctor and his patient. It will be a source of confusion if the title is applied to any other health worker who statutorily does not own patient. NMA therefore declares with unmitigated emphasis that if “non-doctor consultants” are appointed, it will lead to chaos and anarchy in the health sector. This should not happen.

5. Relativity in health sector is sacrosanct. The NMA hereby demands for immediate implementation of the January 3rd, 2014 circular. The NMA also demands the immediate payment of the arrears of the corrected relativity for 22 years during which her members were short changed. 

Much as we are not against salary increase for any category of workers, either in health or elsewhere, the NMA demands for immediate adjustment of the doctors’ salary to maintain the relativity as agreed and documented once CONHESS is adjusted.

6. That Government should expedite the passage of the National Health Bill (NHB), and extend Universal Health Coverage to cover 100% of Nigerians and not 30% as currently prescribed by National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). 

7. Surgeon General of the Federation MUST be appointed with immediate effect.

8. The entry point of the House Officer should be corrected to CONMESS 1 step 4 as originally contained in MSS/MSSS while the Registrar/Medical Officer is moved to CONMESS 3 step 3.

9. Clinical duty allowance for Honorary Consultants should be increased by 90% of CONMESS 

10. Adjust the specialist allowance as contained in the 2009 collective bargaining agreement. Additionally, ALL doctors on CONMESS 3 and above MUST be paid specialist allowance or its equivalent that is not less than 50% higher than what is paid to other health workers. 

11. Hazard allowance MUST be at least N100, 000 per month for Medical Doctors.

12. Immediate release of the circular on rural posting, teaching and other allowances which MUST include house officers.

13. Immediate withdrawal of the CBN circular authorizing the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN) to approve licenses for the importation of In-Vitro Diagnostics (IVDs). www.medicalworldnigeria.com

14. Immediate Release of Circular on retirement age for Medical Doctors as agreed with the Federal Government (FG)
15. The Federal Government 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. Moreover, a concrete Funding framework for residency training must be established. The Overseas clinical attachment must be fully restored and properly funded in the interest of the nation.
16. That in the interest of harmony in Federal Medical Centre, Owerri the government should pay the salaries of our members in the centre as agreed on 21st October, 2013. 
17. Immediate concrete steps must be put in place for the reintegration of our members back into the IPPIS platform.
18. All attempts to coerce house officers not to join NARD must stop. 
19. The orchestrated intimidation, harassment and physical assault of our members in departments of Pathology (Laboratory Medicine) by Laboratory Scientists which is being tolerated by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) must stop.
20. The Endless circle of incomplete salary payment to our members in many hospitals in the name of shortfalls in personnel cost must stop.
21. Universal applicability of all establishment circulars on the remuneration and conditions of service for doctors at all levels of Government must be guaranteed.
22. Government should as a matter of urgency set up a health trust fund that will enhance the upgrading of all hospitals in Nigeria. 
23. The position of Chief Medical Director/Medical Director must continue to be occupied by a Medical Doctor as contained in the Act establishing the tertiary Hospitals. This position remains sacrosanct and untouchable.
WHY DID THEY NOT ASK THAT THE POST OF VICE CHANCELLOR BE OPEN TO EVERYONE IN THE UNIVERSITY SINCE ASUU AND SANU ARE MADE UP OF GRADUATES

CAN YOU BE A JUDGE OF THE HIGH COURT OR COURT OF APPEAL IF YOU ARE NOT A LAWYER?

WHY DO THEY THINK THE HOSPITALS WHERE LIVES ARE SAVED EVERYDAY SHOULD SACRIFICE THE ESTABLISHED LEADERSHIP I.E. CHIEF MEDICAL DIRECTOR? 

24. The NMA henceforth shall not accept the continued violation of any of the terms of the 2009 Collective Bargaining Agreement. This is exemplified by the payment of Medical Physicists and Optometrists with OD (who are on CONHESS) call duty allowance using the CONMESS Circular. Similarly, the phrase “Ministries, Departments and Agencies” (MDA) in the said agreement should replace “Federal Ministry of Health and other Federal Health Institutions” as contained in the 2009 CONMESS Circular. www.medicalworldnigeria.com
In the light of the fore-going therefore, the NMA hereby gives government 14 days to meet all her demands as stated above or have her members called out for a resumption of the TOTAL and INDEFINITE withdrawal of service suspended on 5th January 2014.
The NMA is taking this painful route because our silence and gentle approach to these contending issues have been taken for granted. 
We have to take this action in order to save the health care delivery system from anarchy that is palpably imminent.

We hereby appeal to all Nigerians for their understanding and to press on Government to meet with our demands to avoid the STRIKE which is scheduled to start on the 1st of July 2014 from 00.10 hours GMT.

…………………………….. ..…………………………………..
DR. Kayode OBEMBE DR. Adewunmi ALAYAKI 
President Secretary General 

Cc:
President of the Senate, FRN
Speaker, House of Representatives, FRN
Hon. Minister of Health
Hon. Minister of State for Health
Hon. Minister of Labour and Productivity
Hon. Minister of Finance
The Head of Service of the Federation
Chairman, Senate Committee on Health
Chairman, House Committee on Health
DG Budgets
Chairman National Salaries, Wages and Income Commission 
Inspector General of Police
Chairman, MDCN
Director of State Security Service
Chairman, Committee of CMDs
All CMDs/MDs
All Heads of NMA Affiliate bodies
Media

Facts about hospital management by Felix Archibong

Consultants and Chief Medical Officers in other Government Hospitals in the Developed World (International best practices/standards). We do not need to travel far and wide to know what is happening in other parts of the world because the world has become a global village, all thanks to information technology. The conflict in Nigeria health sector has tugged me to search for what is obtainable on the key warring issues in other developed countries. Ideally the Nigeria Health system format is supposed to be compared with that of the Britain(not the Americans) since Nigeria adopted and is using the British educational/health systems; however reference has been made on American health system in this write up, for obvious reason. 

 

I deliberately sourced for all information from current and popular international encyclopedia and/or professional websites not hosted by medical doctors. 

 

. Medical/hospital Consultant: 

The term or title "consultant" is coined from consultation. It is wise to see the standard definitions of medical consultation; which are: Medical consultation is a formal meeting with a medical doctor for discussion or the seeking of advice {www.en.m.wikipedia.org/consultation(medical)}. It is also defined as a procedure whereby, on request by one Physician, another Physician reviews a patients medical history, examines the patient and makes recommendation as to care and treatment( www.medical dictionary.freedictionary.com/medical consultation). In the UK, Republic of Ireland and parts of the commonwealth countries Medical

Consultant is the title of a senior hospital-based physician or surgeon who has completed all of his/her specialist training{www.en.m.wikipedia.org/consultant(medicine) , www.medicaldictionary.thefreedictionary.com/consultant(medicine), www.gapmedics.co.uk/difference between consultant and a doctor in a hospital }

 

. Consultant Pharmacist: 

In America Pharmacists are broadly grouped into two: 

1. Health system pharmacist 

2. Consultant pharmacist 

 

The health system pharmacist is hospital-based pharmacist that provides care to patient on healthcare team. They undergo residency training but are not awarded the title of consultant.(www.asph.org). Consultant Pharmacists are pharmacist that work as private pharmacist for individual elderly persons or is employed to work in old people homes(institute) to enhance quality of care for all old persons. They are non-hospital staff and do not undergo residency training but write preparation/recertification examinations. They are also called senior care pharmacists (www.ascp.com). 

 

. Consultant Nurse:

In USA Consultant Nurse is a registered nurse who uses expertise as a healthcare provider and specialized training to consult on medical related legal case. They assist attorneys in reading medical records and understanding medical terminology and healthcare issues to achieve the best results for their client. They are non-hospital staff.( www.en.m.wikipedia.org/nurse consultant) 

 

. Chief Medical Director (Office): 

This title is used in many countries for the senior government official designated as head of medical services, usually at the national level. He advices and leads a team of medical experts on matters of importance. { www.en.m.wikipedia.org/chief medical officer, medicaldictionary.thefreedictionary.com/chief medical officer, www.ehow.com/chief medicalofficer, www. gov.uk/government/people/sally-davies} 

 

. Surgeon General In the United States and many areas of the British Commonwealth: 

This title refers to a physician commissioned by government and entrusted with the public health responsibilities. In Uk Surgeon General is the senior medical officer of the British Armed Forces (www.en.m.wikipedia/surgeon general UK/USA). 

 

. Hospital Chief Executive Officer: 

This is the highest management position within a hospital in the capitalist countries. He or she is expected to have masters in business Administration, masters in healthcare Administration etc( in Nigeria such a position is designated as Director of Administration in Teaching Hospitals)www.degreetree.com/how to become a

hospital ceo. 

 

. Health Care Professionals

They are divided into two broad groups: 

1. Core Healthcare Professionals 

2. Support (Allied) Healthcare Professionals 

 

The core professionals are doctors, nurses and pharmacists. Others, except these three, are allied professionals (www.wikipedia.org/allied health professions)

 

By Archibong F.

archlix@yahoo.com