Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has expressed concern over what it described as an upsurge in violent attacks on its members and other health workers while discharging their duties.
It said that the violent attacks by some patients, who took laws into their hands to harass and beat up doctors at hospitals, is assuming a worrisome dimension.
The association said that most of the perpetrators of the act have ignored laid down procedures for laying their complaints, if any.
Speaking while inaugurating a committee on the improvement of hospital services on Thursday in Abuja, the Chairman of the NMA, Federal Capital Territory chapter, Dr. Charles Ugwuanyi, said the association has been inundated with reports of violent assault on doctors and health workers by aggreived patients at hospitals.
“There is an important issue that is bothering us doctors and health workers and that is the issue of violence against our members in the discharge of their duties.
“It bothers heavily on the safety of doctors presently. Recently, there has been an increasing incidence of violence against health care providers, including doctors, nurses and healthcare assistants,” he said.
Ugwuanyi gave an example of a recent incident whereby a female gynaecologist was assaulted in her place of work, adding that she sustained severe brain injury.
According to Ugwuanyi, the matter has become increasingly worrisome to the NMA at both state and national level.
“Here in the FCT, our domain, we have been getting increasing reports. Matter of fact, just some weeks ago, a female gynecologist was assaulted in her place of work and she sustained severe traumatic brain injury and she’s presently receiving treatment. We recorded such incidences in the past but it has come to a point where NMA will take a position and our position on this matter is that the act is not only condemnable, it is reprehensible and we can no longer tolerate it,” he said.
Ugwuanyi said the result of the reckless acts is that “more of our younger colleagues are getting scared of being involved, getting deeper in this profession”, adding that the situation is further “swelling the ranks of doctors leaving the country for greener pastures in foreign land”.
He lamented that the unconducive working environment at most of the government hospitals in the country has led to the exodus of highly qualified doctors and a drop in the number of registered doctors from 150,000 to as low as 60,000 or even less.
“My dear friends and colleagues, both in the medical industry and beyond, especially our dear patients, we want to make it clear that we understand your frustrations. Your frustrations are very palpable but you have no clue how much frustrations we keep as health care providers.
“The truth is that we are all operating in this socio-economic climate, which to my mind and if you will agree with me, is not palatable to anyone. Therefore, it is simply not right, to transfer any frustrations to any health care providers.
“We have our own problems too, we are only here to help. We are in the hospital to provide help and therefore, we plead with you, to desist henceforth, from harassing, intimidating and assaulting any health care provider,” he said.
Ugwuanyi explained that the committee on continuous medical education headed by Dr. Gbenga Awoniyi is meant to proffer ideas and techniques for achieving contemporary medical care, in line with accepted international standards.
