12th June, 2017
Dr Joshua Ndom-Giyan, the Medical Director, Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, Nasarawa State, has called on resident doctors and other health workers to shun strike and embrace dialogue in pressing their demands.
Ndom-Giyan made the appeal on Monday at the five-day joint updates course and Training of Trainers (TOT) for resident doctors drawn from across the country in Keffi.
The training programme is organised by the West African College of Physicians (WACP) in conjunction with the National Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPGMCN).
“I am telling you that the effect of strike action is on everybody including those that are striking.
“My centre staffers went on strike last year and we lost three of the striking workers which is unfortunate,’’ said the medical director.
Ndom-Giyan noted that strikes had affected the lives of many negatively, hence the need for resident doctors and other health workers to eschew strike so as to save lives in the country.
He also advised hospitals in the country to key into Electronic Medical Records (EMR) considering its enormous benefits in boosting quality healthcare delivery.
“Electronic Medical Records have a lot of advantages which include reduction in medical errors, no missing of patients’ information, cost effectiveness, increased clinical process and reduced waste of time, among others; so hospitals should key into it,’’ he said.
The medical director commended the Federal Government for its continued commitment and efforts in funding the health sector and called for its sustenance.
“First and foremost, I want to thank WACP and NPGMC for the wisdom in joint programmes like this which I believe would go a long way in cost-cutting, risk-cutting and overall increase in the success at meeting targeted goals.
“And the importance of updating knowledge in the quality of health care cannot be overemphasised as we live in an ever-changing world.
“I, therefore, urged all of us to embrace EMR and to shun industrial action at all times because many of the issues that can lead to strike can be resolved by dialogue,’’ Ndom-Giyan said.
Besides, the medical director noted that strike actions had brought untold hardship to many Nigerians especially the privileged who do not have the means to access private healthcare services in the country.
Also speaking, Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, who is the Chairman of the occasion, urged the participants to use the knowledge gained in order to improve their service delivery.
He assured the participants and other doctors of a peaceful environment, adding that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to improving on the health of Nigerians.
Earlier, Dr Emmanuel Amao and Dr Malomo Sunday, the chairmen of NPGMCN and WACP, respectively, said that the programmes were jointly organised in order to train resident doctors and the trainers for effective healthcare service delivery.
The officials underscored the importance of family medicine and called for sustained capacity building, saying that family medicine is the first point of call in the hospital.
FMC Keffi JOHESU embarked on an indefinite strike on Jan. 19, 2016, during which the union lost three of its members.