In the bid to end the discord between Nigeria
Medical Association, (NMA) and Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, (PSN) both
health professional bodies have agreed in an implementation plan to forge
ahead.
While presenting the plan to find a lasting solution
to the bickering between doctors and pharmacists Tuesday in Lagos, both bodies
agree that the move will help improve the health indices of Nigeria.
Speaking with newsmen, the NMA President, Dr.
Francis Faduyile said; “When I was in NMA in Lagos State as the chairman, I
inherited over 12 court cases and brought all of them out of court.
“We brought all the factions of health under one
roof, we believe we are here in the world to improve the health of patients,
adding that, the more we talk to our self, the more we understand ourselves and
also, stick to international best practices for the better of all.”
Faduyile said; “We don’t need to reinvent the will
in Nigeria and that is why we stick to international best practices that can
move the health sector forward. But most importantly, my message to every the health sector is for us to think of the patients first because any of us at
any given time can be a patient.”
He added; “If health professionals have that at the
back of our mind, I am sure we will all see the improvements in the health
sector. One of the questions rolled out during the response in the
questionnaire, it states that pharmacists believe that doctors are working
against them while doctors believe that pharmacist hate them. This is shocking
because we don’t talk with ourselves. I believe, the more we know ourselves,
the better the decision we make in wade off disharmony amongst ourselves.”
The NMA boss, however, spoke on Coronavirus,
(COVID-19) resolved that, it is time for Nigeria to take decisive action, ” I
can tell you, if Coronavirus virus gets loose in this country, the country will
suffer for it. My own view and that of the NMA is that, we think it is high
time the Nigerian government took that decision of closing the border to those
countries that have serious high level of Coronavirus.”
Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, PSN President, however, said,
today is a good day for Nigeria healthcare because as we know, medical doctors
and pharmacists that represent the health care team has decided to embrace
harmony to implement strategies and working relationship that would create
greater relationship.
Ohuabunwa thinks that this partnership would be a
major output and development in good health care outcomes for Nigerians.
He said, both the NMA and PSN believe that “If the
members of the healthcare team put away anything that would cause disharmony or
suspicion, they should work together and then the output will be better, the healthcare system will be better and Nigeria will be better.”
Also speaking on Coronavirus, the PSN President
said, we need to intensify the measures we have taken because from the report
it means that this 3rd patient flew into the country and it was recommended
that she should do a self-quarantine and she then reported when she saw the
symptoms.
“For me, I believe that it has worked well but I
think we need to look at the point where people come from this country where
the virus is because many might no longer want to do voluntary quarantine or
self-quarantine so it should be compulsory.
“Supposed the people that are meant to quarantine
refuse to, then what will happen, they will go about and spread the virus in
the community and that can be dangerous.
So the time has come where we should demand
compulsory quarantine,” Ohuabunwa added.
