Lifeline Centre decries deteriorating relationship between patients, medical personnel in hospitals

Lifeline Centre for medical and health rights advocacy has decried the fast deteriorating relationship between patients and medical personnel in Nigeria hospitals.

Speaking on Friday in Abuja at a town hall meeting, the President of Lifeline Centre, Dr. Uwakwe Abugu noted that, either the patients or the medical personnel or both were not playing according to the rules of the game, adding that research has shown that many Nigerians do not know that they have some rights as patients.

He maintained that medical personnels are generally weighed down by lack of absolute facilities or equipment and are ravaging distractions occasioned by the fact that their take home pay cannot take them home.

He recalled that from time immemorial, the relationship between patients and medical personnel is governed by strict law and professional ethics and any breach of the relationship was visited with damning consequences.

According to Abugu, Nigeria women are still dying every day from childbirth, patients are being administered with expired drugs, drugs or injection meant for one patient is given and administered on a wrong patients adding “the list is endless. Even the most renowned statistician would easily lose count of the frequency.”

He attributed over 90 percent of deaths recorded in Nigerian hospitals to poor attitude of health workers, adding “until the healthcare givers in our hospitals begin to realize that the health of the patient, her or she is handling could be his own, his wife or siblings and all that, things will not go well.”

“it has been settled way back in history, Plutarch, an Epicurean philosopher told The story of Glaucus, a medical personnel of Ephesus who left his patient and went out to the fields. in his absence, the fellow died having taken excess food. Alexander the great condemned the doctor to death for a gross breach professional duty and negligence. thus liability for breach of duty or medical malpractice was violent retribution of an eye, a tooth for a tooth, and even a life for a life”

“We appreciate that such punishment may be primitive and does not accord with the reality of today’s civilization. but how do we reconcile the rate of deaths, injuries and abuse of patients’ rights arising from avoidable medical mishaps in out hospitals? how do we rationalize the fact that in 21st century.”

Speaking, the Deputy Registrar of Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Dr. Udugbai Ilevbare, who called on medical personnel to do their best to protect human lives, added that, medical professionals must not abuse the right of any patient.