9th August, 2015
Oluremilekun Osobu-Asubiojo
Photo: Akinwunmi Ibrahim
With the increasing emphasis on scientific basis and discoveries of medical technologies and practices globally, experts have emphasized the importance of patients-doctor relationship in ensuring adequate health care delivery.
To address the procedures of ensuring patient-doctor relationship is observed with professionalism, a programme titled “Learning Exchange Advancement Forum (LEAP) was organised for specialists in medical practice by Pfizer World Wide Specialists Limited themed “Advancing Medical Practice; Improving Patient Care”.
The event which took place at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos addressed topics in pain management, new guidelines, implications and management of blood pressure, evidence-based medicine with regards to different guidelines and recommendations in medicine among others.
Winston Ailemoh, the marketing director for Pfizer East and West Africa, NEAR, mentioned that the aim and objective of the workshop is to equip the medical practitioners with the latest medical information that can improve their knowledge of medical practice and the care of patients.
“This platform aids our aim to achieve our ambition of saving lives. Also with the existence and the availability of drugs from Pfizer that are backed up with longest heritage in terms of safety and quality that we do not comprise,” he said.
Similarly, Dr. Osahon Omorodion, the Senior Medical Manger, Pfizer, Nigeria, East Africa Region, NEAR, pointed out that evidence of the knowledge of medicine and application of it is based on the overview of various guidelines, recommendations, years of experience in practice in the field of medicine as it applies to individual and patients individuality.
In addressing the topic on recent advances in pain management Dr. Eyitayo Alabi, a consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon stressed the importance of the involvement of patients in decision making process with realistic treatment goals, with this, he said it would make treatment easy for both the patients and the doctors.
He stressed that when attending to patients, there must be an inclusive assessments, with the goal being to optimize pain relief and minimise adverse effects.
He pointed out that practitioners must identify issues and obstacles that will prevent desirable outcomes as this is essential for the treatment for both the doctor and the patient.
Dr. Alabi also emphasized that in treating patients with a condition that have no cure or medical intervention, the doctor must endeavour to prevent the retardation of such condition, that is, “there is the need to manage the patient for a lengthy period of time,” he posited.
“We need to educate the patient about the condition, proposed care plan, even in spectrum line of treatment by identifying the safest drugs the patients can manage and much emphasis on life style management; such as pharmacotherapy, physical health therapy, occupational therapy and stress management. This gives the patient activities to do to take their mind away from the problems and condition.”
He also stated that in ensuring the progress in the health sector and improving patients care, there is the need for collaboration among health care practitioners in different specialties for adequate health care delivery.