• About Us
  • Contact Us
Sunday, February 5, 2023
Emerald News
  • Home
  • News
  • Inside Delta
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Relationship
  • Special Report
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Inside Delta
  • Health
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Relationship
  • Special Report
No Result
View All Result
Emerald News
No Result
View All Result
Home Health

How Delta Assembly downplays professionalism in health sector (check how it tactically approves training of quack nurses and midwives)

by Emerald Nigeria
3 years ago
in Health, Special Report
0
ShareTweetShareShare

I sat at the rear and watched with amazement as all the honourable members of Delta State House of Assembly Committee on Health spoke in defence of the submission of the commissioner for health, Dr. Ononye Mordi. One after the other, they gave reasons why the local community nursing and midwifery programme, a programme initiated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN) must be operational in Delta. This is despite the fact that the nurses gave great reasons why the programme should be aborted as not suitable for a high profile state as Delta.

As one who has been following the development for a period of time, I can conveniently write on the issues at stake. As a practising journalist in Delta for 13 years, I know the importance of professionalism. As at present, the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Delta state is wielding out unprofessional journalists from the union. Although the union cannot stop them from practising since they are employed by different media organisations or they are self-employed, they cannot be members of the NUJ. This is peculiar to the media industry. Though the media industry has some level of freedom for whoever has a flair for writing and can practice without being member of the union, it is not so with other professions.

If there is compromise in any sector of the economy in the employment of practitioners, it should not be in the health sector because the sector is very significant in the sense that it deals with human life. Any unguarded mistake made by the person in charge leads to automatic death. And life has no duplicate. That is why there is extreme care in the education of persons who must work in the health sector because of its importance to life. Not everybody is fit to be in that sector. If you are not fit, you are not fit. If you are fit you are fit. It does not need negotiation. If anybody bribes his way into the health sector, there will be harvest of deaths in the field. With its importance to life, quacks are not needed in the health sector.

We’ve been told stories of doctors who, after carrying out surgical operations, abandon surgical knives in the body of their patients and such patients begin to bleed unaware that an unqualified doctor abandons a knife after completing the process. Yes, they call them doctors but they are poorly trained and the compromised process allows them into the medical field. This is one reason why only few medical personnel graduate from the medical school because of the rigour they must go through to maintain their status as doctors. Many fail along the way and they are thrown out of the school and only few struggle to the end. One hundred students may start the medicine and surgery department in year one. At the end of the class, may be 40, 50, 60 who will graduate. The fake ones have been removed.

The nursing profession is not different from that. Nurses and doctors work together in the hospitals to ensure the well being of their patients. If a nurse is not well trained, there is the tendency of adding to the problem of her patients in the hospital and complicating the work of the doctor. This is why I was baffled when the lawmakers were defending the initiative and the proposal for the training of community nursing and midwives in Delta state. Although I’m neither a medical doctor nor do I have experience in any aspect of medicine, with my knowledge of professionalism from my media experience, the health sector should not be run with poorly trained personnel.

The community nursing as we are made to understand will be low cadre nurses who will be trained for two years instead of the regular three years programme in the school of nursing and midwifery which we understand do not have enough facilities for the regular students. Teachers are not enough to train the regular students and now an additional burden is being added to a system which has already been overstretched.

One needs to ask some salient questions. Will the state government provide more facilities to accommodate this set of students? Will the state government employ more health teachers in addition to the ones who are teaching the regular students? Do the schools have enough laboratories for practical sessions for the regular students which can also accommodate the community nursing without stress and strain? These are questions that the authorities need provide answers to as the students are coming into the schools.

ALSO READ THIS:

El-Rufai Requests State Lawmakers To Release Suspicious N85billion(See full details)

More than 50 guns recovered as gunrunners meet their waterloo in Delta state

Months after his first bath in decades, world’s dirtiest man dies

There are some institutions that employ part time teachers for lecturing. These may work for some courses but not so with the medicals. Part time lecturers are after their money and not what the students will benefit from the lectures. In most institutions, students are crowded in classes while the teachers struggle their way into the classes. One wonders whether students can benefit from such classes. These are issues that lead to poor graduates from the higher institutions.

When I heard the nurses making presentations as to why the community nursing and midwifery programme should be abolished in Delta, I knew they were talking with professional experience, the need to save the profession from quackery and most importantly, the need not to jeopardise the health of Deltans and other residents in the state. The committee members hinged their support for the programme on the fact that the programme emanated from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN). Agreed, but the nurses argued that the programme is actually meant for states which do not have enough nurses to cater for the health needs of their people and most especially Northern states.

With this submission, Delta has already trained nurses from which the government can employ as many as the system wants to fill the gaps in the sector. There is therefore no need training lower cadre nurses for the health system in the state. On the argument of whether the qualified nurses will accept low pay which the government is proposing for the lower cadre nurses, that argument does not hold water. The issue under review is the health of people and not animals. Delta state government cannot hide under low salary payment to employ low cadre nurses for the health sector. The health sector is too significant for the economy for government to employ poorly trained personnel for the system. That will amount to sacrificing quality for quantity and end result is always disastrous.

From the submissions made by the proponents of programme, I understand that the participating students will be drawn from each of the political wards. This could be interpreted as an attempt to politicise the training of the community nurses. If not, why selecting the trainees from the political wards? Deltans are keenly watching where the entire scenario is heading. I understand that some persons were trained some time ago but it yielded no result. I will advice we face reality on this all-important health policy and make our health facilities habitable for both patients and health workers.

Delta state is not a poor state. The facts are in the public domain. Delta has one of the highest allocations from the federation accounts allocation committee. There are poorer states in Nigeria but not Delta state. With the federal allocation and the internally generated revenue, Delta can conveniently pay full salary of all sectors of workers in the state. So, this flimsy excuse does not come to play. If money cannot be spent on anything else, definitely it should be spent on the health of the people of Delta state. This is because this sector takes care of the manpower that generates the money for the state.

Another argument put forward was that the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has given his signature for the programme. That is immaterial. There are many programmes President Muhammadu Buhari signed at the federal level but with heavy criticism and protests from the Nigerian people, Buhari had not option but to abandon the programme for the sake of Nigerians. Yes, it is possible that the governor may have signed without understanding the full details of the programme presented to him by the commissioner for health. The fears expressed by the nurses may not have been presented to him by the commissioner.

If it is established that health workers do not stay at the work place, questions need be asked to find out their reasons. Probable reasons could be lack of basic amenities such as water, electricity, motorable roads, accommodation, and others. For instance, we can make a comparison between health workers in Shell assisted facilities in the state and those in normal facilities, we can conclude why such nurses act the way they act.

While in the hall, I heard that there are about 425 primary health facilities and 402 nurses in Delta state. This shows a heavy shortage of manpower in the sector. But the committee members told the nurses that anywhere these community nurses will be posted to, qualified nurses will be there to monitor their activities. While this is true, there are still some questions to be answered. I understand that medical personnel work on shifts. A situation where there are 425 primary health facilities with only 402 nurses, how will the shift be possible when there are even some centres with no nurse attached to them? And those centres with only one nurse, will that nurse not go on shift? Will she run 24 hours non-stop and abandon her family so as to monitor a quack nurse? These are issues that must be looked into.

I will also like to mention that like a tripod, every profession is made up of the regulatory body, the union and the professionals. Any attempt to wither the strength of one and render it impotent tantamount to breaking one leg of the tripod and it could spell doom for that profession. The health commissioner had on several occasions allegedly said that NANNM members should not interfere in the decision of the ministry of health. It must be emphasised that the greatest welfare any association can give to her members is to gate keep the profession and create space for her members.

Delta state government cannot delve into programmes arbitrarily. The benefits of the programmes must be looked into. The quality of personnel is also very important. The life and health of Deltans should be given the highest priority in the choice of personnel to man the health institutions. We cannot sacrifice quality for quantity under the guise of paying low wage. The state is not poor, not at all. It is therefore important that government should have a second look at the community nursing and midwifery programme before the programme commences. After all, I’m also a Deltan. And I have right to air my opinion.

 

THIS OPINION ARTICLE WAS WRITTEN BY AUSTIN OYIBODE FROM ASABA

 

 

Tags: DeltaHealthHouse of Assemblynurses
ShareTweetShareSend
Previous Post

Governor Obaseki storms Akwa Ibom state, check why he visited Governor Udom

Next Post

BREAKING: South Africa firm, Shoprite, pulls out of Nigeria

Related Posts

Delta2023: Industrialization key to saving Delta as Gbagi receives massive endorsement from Deltans
Politics

THE BIG INTERVIEW: Okowa cannot be vice president of Nigeria, he violated rotational presidency – Gbagi

January 31, 2023
What happened to a student, his parents when Olorogun Gbagi visited Patani will show you what SDP will do in Delta
Special Report

Delta2023: As the crowd of supporters surge in favour of Gbagi

January 24, 2023
Expect great miracles as Pastor Kumuyi begins Global Crusade in Asaba Thursday – Deeper Life Pastors say
Special Report

Expect great miracles as Pastor Kumuyi begins Global Crusade in Asaba Thursday – Deeper Life Pastors say

January 23, 2023
INTERVIEW: Two important statements Omo-Agege made that shows I’m far ahead of him – Gbagi
Politics

INTERVIEW: Two important statements Omo-Agege made that shows I’m far ahead of him – Gbagi

January 16, 2023
Anglican Church honours Oborevwori, and here’s why
Special Report

Anglican Church honours Oborevwori, and here’s why

January 15, 2023
Delta2023: Industrialization key to saving Delta as Gbagi receives massive endorsement from Deltans
Inside Delta

INTERVIEW: How Okowa begged me at Oginibo when he was rejected by Urhobo people – Kenneth Gbagi

January 13, 2023
Load More
Next Post
BREAKING: South Africa firm, Shoprite, pulls out of Nigeria

BREAKING: South Africa firm, Shoprite, pulls out of Nigeria

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

ADVERTISEMENT

LATEST

Niger Delta elders write NSA over Ndiomu’s divided attention on chairmanship of FG’s panel on oil theft, amnesty office

Niger Delta elders write NSA over Ndiomu’s divided attention on chairmanship of FG’s panel on oil theft, amnesty office

February 5, 2023
Festus Keyamo calls Dogara “Political Prostitute”

Festus Keyamo calls Dogara “Political Prostitute”

February 5, 2023
Liberate Delta 2023: Gbagi reveals how Isoko North can become food basket of Nigeria as SDP campaign train hits LGA

2023: Why Delta Christian leaders should stand by their words as guber election hots up

February 5, 2023
Kenneth Gbagi storms Sapele as the Ochuko of Okpe Kingdom

Kenneth Gbagi storms Sapele as the Ochuko of Okpe Kingdom

February 4, 2023
Nwoko states why dialogue best solution to ethnic agitations in Nigeria

Nwoko states why dialogue best solution to ethnic agitations in Nigeria

February 4, 2023
Elumelu adopted as sole candidate for Aniocha/Oshimili federal constituency election

Elumelu adopted as sole candidate for Aniocha/Oshimili federal constituency election

February 4, 2023
DeltaNorth2023: Ned Nwoko well positioned to transform Anioma land

DeltaNorth2023: Ned Nwoko well positioned to transform Anioma land

February 3, 2023
Wike says Naira Redesign will only make people suffer(Full Details)

Wike says Naira Redesign will only make people suffer(Full Details)

February 3, 2023
2023:We Put Them There, We’ll Succeed Them -Tinubu

2023:We Put Them There, We’ll Succeed Them -Tinubu

February 3, 2023
ICPC Nab Woman Over Selling New Naira Notes

ICPC Nab Woman Over Selling New Naira Notes

February 3, 2023
ADVERTISEMENT

TRENDING

  • Delta2023: Gbagi predicts what will happen to Delta if residents fail to vote the right candidate

    Delta2023: What the church must do to rescue Delta on March 11, 2023 (A must read by all Deltans)

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • (Watch Video): Leaked S3x tape of another Nigerian celebrity is shared online, victim reacts as her video goes viral

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • DeltaNorth2023: Ned Nwoko well positioned to transform Anioma land

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Gbagi vindicated as EK Clark joins Delta SDP guber candidate to block Okowa’s VP ambition

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Nwoko receives accolades as High Performance Centre in the Sports university makes first outing

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Delta2023: Gbagi predicts what will happen to Delta if residents fail to vote the right candidate

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 2023: Why Delta Christian leaders should stand by their words as guber election hots up

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • INCREDIBLE! Watch man strip himself naked at the bank, intimidates staff with his six packs for this reason

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • THE BIG INTERVIEW: Okowa cannot be vice president of Nigeria, he violated rotational presidency – Gbagi

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Nwoko states why dialogue best solution to ethnic agitations in Nigeria

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
ADVERTISEMENT
Facebook Twitter

GET IN TOUCH

Editor
Phone No: 0806 374 4656
Email: greataustin@yahoo.com

Lagos Correspondent
Phone No: 0802 381 8504
Email: taiwookuwobi@gmail.com


CATEGORIES

  • Crime (1,066)
  • Economy (672)
  • Education (401)
  • Entertainment (63)
  • Health (425)
  • Inside Delta (779)
  • News (604)
  • Niger Delta (17)
  • Politics (2,412)
  • Relationship (302)
  • Special Report (1,160)

© Emerald News - A Publication of Emerald Media Group Since 2017

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Inside Delta
  • Niger Delta
  • Economy
  • Crime
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Relationship
  • Special Report
  • Health

© Emerald News - A Publication of Emerald Media Group Since 2017

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.