With the emerging and re-emerging of diseases, epidemics and pandemics across the world, family doctors have been advised to work with new normal methods and procedures in the care of patients to achieve maximum results.
The advice was given by the chairman of the Delta state chapter of the Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria (SOFPON), Dr. Bamidele Ogunfowokan, during the celebration of the 2021 World Family Doctors Day at Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH) Oghara, Ethiope west local government area of the state.
The World Family Doctors Day celebration in the state with the theme “Building the Future with Family Doctors” was put together by the Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria Delta State Chapter and the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria in the state.
Dr. Ogunfowokan told the gathering of family doctors that the two bodies are affiliates of World Organisation of National Colleges, Academies and Academic Association of General Practitioners of Family Physicians (WONCA).
He said the body was founded in 1972 with the mission of supporting family medicine practitioners around the world. He said the family doctors day was declared to acknowledge the strides and accomplishments being made by family doctors globally.
Dr. Ogunfowokan, who is a consultant Family Physician and the Medical Director of The Ark Medical Centre in Asaba, said family physicians provide continuous, coordinated and comprehensive care to patients irrespective of the age, gender, the organ and system affected.
He described family doctors as gatekeepers to the health care system and managers of patients resources, hence they must be abreast with the dynamics in the patients management using new technologies and be ready to render the best medical services to them.
Chief Medical Director of DELSUTH, Dr. Onome Ogueh, a consultant Obstetrics and Gynaecologist, who declared the event opened, said the institution is a flagship of Delta state in terms of medical care.
Dr. Ogueh, who was represented by Dr. Emmanuel Okolugbo, an Associate Professor of Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) and Director of Clinical Services at DELSUTH, said the institution is a leading light and premier institution in terms of providing excellence in medical practices.
He described family doctors as specialists in medicine. He told the participants that the department of family medicine has just been accredited for the next five years to train family physicians at DELSUTH.
A lecturer and specialist in cardiac devices at Faculty of Clinical Sciences, University of Port Harcourt, Dr. Edafe Emmanuel Auchi, described cardiac arrest as a situation where the heart stops pumping blood and ceases to work.
In a lecture on Cardiac Devices, he told the doctors that cardiac arrest could lead to sudden death of the individual who experiences it if the sufferer is not given the needed assistance (cardiopulmonary resuscitation CPR) on time.
He said cardiac arrest could be as a result of ventricular tarchycardia, a situation where the heart beats too fast or ventricular fibrillation, a chaotic beating of the heart. He said heart attack could also lead to cardiac arrest and sudden death.
He also said vulvular heart diseases or dilated heart could predispose some one to cardiac arrest. Dr. Edafe said to prevent this health challenge, one should carry out basic health investigations so that when issues that could predispose one to such conditions are detected early, they could be given the prompt attention required.
He described the meeting of family doctors as a very great one as it provided opportunity to meet with family doctors and broaden knowledge in the practice of medicine.
He called on the family doctors to be united as one man. He noted that such unity will lead to effective delivery of health care services.
Dr. Duncan Umukoro, a lecturer at Delta State University (DELSU) and honorary consultant at DELSUTH, said family doctors are specialists in secondary care
Dr. Umukoro, who delivered lectures on Building Future with Family Doctors, however, faulted the present system where government declares free health scheme for a category of persons but the facilities are not provided for the effective delivery of the free services.
In an interview shortly after the meeting, Dr. Ogunfowokan identified inability to manage the available resources, shortage of manpower and poor funding as some of the challenges working against the health system in Nigeria.
He said the government is not giving enough resources to manage the health system. We, the family doctors are very few. So we need more accredited health institutions for Family Medicine training and increase in the slots for Family Medicine residents.
So he identified lack of appropriate manpower and poor management of resources as the great challenges faced by the nation’s health sector.
