Vice-chancellor decries doctors' attitude to work
From Bertram Nwannekanma, Osogbo
RATHER than dissipating their energies on the headship of teaching hospitals and other health institutions, medical doctors have been advised to concentrate on how to develop themselves and provide better services to their clients.
The doctors should also develop positive attitude to their work to protect the image of the profession.
The Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Prof. Rogers Makanjuola, at the 2004 yearly general meeting and scientific conference of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Osun State branch held in Osogbo, expressed worry over the conduct of medical doctors in the hospitals and called for punctuality and dedication because the profession would only survive on public patronage.
His words: "Often you observe student doctors coming to work by 10.00 a.m., resident doctors by 11.00 a.m. and consultants coming at 12.00 noon while their patients would come by 7.00 a.m. waiting to be attended to. This is not good enough for the profession".
Makanjuola said the doctors had not done well in the administration of the hospitals, adding that if they want to remain at the head of the institutions, they should ensure that they are knowledgeable and have the acquired skills to run hospitals.
This, he said, they could only get through training in healthcare administration which would equip them to become chief medical directors (CMD).
"We have not done well as we should. If we want to continue to be CMDs or medical directors (MDs), we need to ensure that we have the knowledge and skills that will allow us to do the job efficiently.
"When I was a CMD, I realised that there were some knowledge and skills that I did not have and it was only when I went on training that I really understood that there are aspect to our skills that we don't have, which we need to have in healthcare administration", he added.
He also warned that if directors of administrations are allowed back to the leadership of hospitals by doctors, through their ineptitude, the health sectors would be endangered.
The state NMA chairman, Dr. Abdulrasheed Adesunkanmi, said the overhaul of the health sector in Nigeria was needed for better services.
