Roy-Omoni Ogaga.
The basic tenet of the medical profession is to save lives especially in the reduction of mortality rates. One believes that when mortality is high, then saving an ailing individual becomes herculean as the basics have not been achieved. Based on that, the government has established many primary Health centres to cater to the need for procreation.
A major concern for the government is that most health practitioners, probably because of greed or dissatisfaction with the system often establish their private practices while still in the employment of the government. This trend has been seen to allow the influx of quacks and greedy fellows without the pre-requisite expertise meant to adequately cater for the needs of the people. Some out of due diligence have grown their brands, however, their disposition towards profit making has led to the gradual disintegration of the sacred creed of saving lives.
A major argument by the renowned author, Daniel Goleman is the position of emotional intelligence in administering medication to the sick. What has predominated the discourse in interfacing with patients nowadays are the high premium being placed on processes and procedures that should not have come up, but for the fact that the hospital seeks to enrich itself by the hook and by the crook. Goleman, after painstakingly consulting with great medical researchers from Stanford, Harvard, Yale, and other notable institutions came to establish the relationship between ailments and the emotional state of the patients.
Hence, one can easily deduce that the cure for certain ailments could be a psychological reorientation of the mind rather than stuffing the patient with doses of medications and untoward procedures. A typical example is a hospital in Port Harcourt reputed for having ultra modern facilities in which expectant mothers are grilled to inform the hospital on cesarean operations before the delivery date (optional). By the action of this health organization, lethal fear is instilled in the minds of the expectant mothers which in turn transmutes to their husbands who start the race of providing the exorbitant amount for the operation. It is sad to see a hospital meant to cater for the wellbeing of these women take advantage of their emotions because of selfish ends. Coincidentally, a sacked matron of the firm has been going about saying unprintable things about the hospital which though not proven, sent ripples down the spine of the hospital’s management. Their counter-measure was to circulate an SMS to the expectant mothers to disregard whatever message was been peddled by their ousted staff.
From the foregoing, one begins to wonder about the oversight functions of our numerous agencies saddled with the responsibility for overseeing the affairs of the sector. Just recently, the wife of the President narrated to a bewildered Nigeria, the rot going on at the National hospital Abuja how much more what happens in the local governments and Riverine communities of the Niger Delta. Empathy has been murdered by the medical practitioners seeking for self-glory rather than selfless service. Nigeria will forever honour a rare gem, Dr Stella Adedavoh, who saved the nation from the calamity of Ebola epidemics but how many of these are in the profession today? Your guess is as good as mine. The woman Nigeria has only paid lip-service to in terms of honour was accorded a recognition by Google last week to the relief of the nation.
The case of prioritizing budgeting for education and health has been a clarion call over the years yet successive governments remain obstinate in their provisions. Worst of all is that the little that comes to the ministries are often misappropriated even before getting to the lowest cadre where the impact is most needed. The educational orientation of the mind must begin to change and more credence given to students of psychology and counselling. The greatest medication the hospital can give to the patient is sweet dozes of emotional balance especially considering the economic hardship Nigerians are facing today. This antidote of emotional balance is what will bring millions out of their death beds and several more out of revengeful murderous thoughts and actions enveloping Bornu, Kaduna, Abia, Rivers, and other states were unrest is the order of the day. This emotional balance is the greatest quality to look for in a leader especially now that Nigeria is yet again heading to the polls comes 2019.
The advice by Tim Evans, a senior director of health and nutrition at the World Bank is: “the best measure of success for Universal Health coverage is that every mother should not only be able to access health care easily, but it should be quality, affordable care that will ensure a healthy and productive life for her children and family. This should be the prerogative and focus of any responsive government or hospital in ensuring that infant mortality ratings are reduced with attendant improvement in life expectancy.
