Foundation Advocates Increased Training For Healthcare Workers

The Disney Nwanne Foundation has called on governments at all levels to prioritise the training and retraining of the healthcare workforce, saying the measure would nip incompetent practices in the bud within the sector.

Speaking yesterday during the 6th annual Disney Symposium in Abuja, the convener of the advocacy group, Deacon Martins Nwanne, said that when the welfare of healthcare workers is prioritised by government, it gives them a sense of worth.

Nwanne also advised the public to report incidents of professional medical misconduct to the appropriate authorities without emotional attachment, stressing that healthcare workers require extra care and deep-rooted medical knowledge before practising.

This, he noted, would prevent situations where patients are given injections instead of tablets.

“We are calling on the government at the federal, state and local government levels to commence immediate training and retraining of the healthcare workforce.

“Government must give priority to the welfare of healthcare workers because they manage life, which is irreplaceable. The practice of moving from one negotiation table to another, reaching agreements and later reneging on them must come to an end.

“When healthcare workers’ welfare is prioritised, it gives them a sense of worth. The job of saving lives is the most important in the world. They must have something to lose. All diligent caregivers must be respected.

“We must report incidents of professional medical misconduct, no matter the emotions attached. In a situation where a patient is supposed to be given tablets but is instead administered injections, as in the case of Disney, it is most unlikely to be an act of God but incompetence, and it must be treated as such by the institutions involved,” he said.

Earlier, Bridget Etim from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission reminded participants to be mindful of the Patients’ Bill of Rights.

She stated that patients have the right to transparent medical bills, the right to medical care before bill payment, the right to urgent medical support and respect for human dignity, among others.

She further urged participants to report any infringement of their medical rights to relevant government authorities, noting that one way to curb excesses by healthcare providers is for patients to express dissatisfaction with poor services in hospitals.

In his remarks, Abba Muhtar, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, thanked the convener for sustaining the annual medical outreach in honour of his late daughter, Disney Nwanne, who lost her life six years ago due to medical misconduct. He called on Nigerians to emulate the legacy of the Nwanne family.