Symposium To Discuss Harmony Among Health Professionals

By Chioma Umeha

Driven by the passion to improve patients’ healthcare services via effective collaboration, consultation and cooperation among the various professional groups in the health sector, the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (NAPharm), in partnership with the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) is organising a Symposium to promote teamwork in the sector.

The overall goal of the symposium which will hold tomorrow, at the University of Lagos, is to harmonise the services of healthcare personnel and improve on their relationship in order to satisfy the total health needs of patients.

The theme of the symposium is “Health of the Nation: The Imperative of Inter-professional Collaboration,” while the Former Minister of Health, Prof. Eyitayo Lambo will be the keynote speaker.

The President of NAPharm, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, at a press briefing in Lagos yesterday, said that teamwork remains the answer to the acrimony in the health sector.

Adelusi-Adeluyi, who was represented by the Vice President of the Academy and Chairman, Symposium Planning Committee, Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi, explained: “The joint Symposium was as a result of several years of efforts to bring different healthcare practitioners together to enhance inter-professional collaboration.”

His words: “Every consideration should be given to the wellbeing of the patient. Indeed, without the patient, the caregivers have no business at all. When the caregivers fail to harmonise their services, the patient will be at the receiving end.

“The nation’s apparent poor healthcare services are partly the resultant effects of lack of collaboration among healthcare practitioners. When services are not properly harmonised, the patient suffers the most and the professionals also experience the side-effects of the suffering. So, there is need for collaboration and communication”

In his remarks, the PSN President, Ahmed Yakasai, said the symposium will bring about a healthy relationship among the various healthcare groups in the health sector.

Yakasai represented by the Secretary of the society, Gbolagade Iyiola, said the constant bickering over who is the leader in the sector should be put aside if the sector must move forward and if the patients’ needs must be met.

“The only way forward to give the best to patients is to collaborate among healthcare professional groups. For the interest of the patients, we are ready to bury our hatchet. If bickering continues, the patients will not get the best”, he said.

It would be recalled that for several decades, the various professionals in the medical profession have always engaged in battles of supremacy which has often been injurious to the patients.

Such unhealthy struggles had fed fat on anger and divisive statements by the various cadres of professionals, to the detriment of Nigerians who ought to benefit from an optimally functional healthcare industry.

Similarly, Secretary of NAPharm, Prof. Fola Tayo, called on health professionals to have a change of attitude and in the way they think and ensure that they give their best to the patients.

The Nigerian Medical Association, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives among others have all indicated a willingness to be part of the programme.

Other speakers lined up for the Symposium include, Dr. Ebun Sonaiya, a medical doctor and former president of the Guild of Medical Directors, Mr. Jimi Agbaje Pharmacist and frontline politician, Mrs. Sade Modupe Jokotola a veteran nurse as well as Professor Agbonlahor a seasoned Medical Laboratory Scientist.