Private medical doctors under the auspices of Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, AGPMPN, say family physicians regardless of background constitute the critical mass needed for turning around the practice of medicine in Nigeria.
Doctors at the National Eye Centre, Kaduna, training with new diagnostic equipment for detection and prevention of blindness. (Photo: Royal Times). Concilia Concilia Umunnakwe (right) a patient of glaucoma recounting her experience.
Meanwhile, AGPMPN has urged all private practitioners to obtain a Diploma in Family Medicine, as it will soon become a prerequisite for private practice in Nigeria
Making the assertion during the graduation ceremony of 360 Diplomates in the Faculty of Family Medicine Diploma, National Post Graduate Medical College, Lagos, President of the Association, Dr. Omo-Ehijiele Frank Odafen lamented that as at the time of the convocation, only about 400 fellows and 367 Diplomates have been produced to serve the population of over 180 million.
Noting that the National University Commission, NUC, recently directed that all universities with medical schools should start training in Family Medicine, he said implementation of the directive with help build a critical mass of FM practitioners. Odafen explained that a family physician is the most ideal specialist in medicine and essential to man and the health field due to the specialty’s expanded knowledge of health issues.
He posited that training in Family Medicine is the only way to achieve a very robust health as it prepares medical doctors to deliver quality care in every aspect of medicines.
“Family medicine is the gateway of healthcare delivery and the role can only be ensured when medical doctors embrace new skills that are comparable with global standard in primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare delivery system.
“Only a Family Physician can solve about 80 per cent of the issues of patients, which means someone who understands about 80 per cent of health issues and can directly solve them should be given the job because that specialty is most qualified for it,” he added. “Family Medicine is the gateway of healthcare delivery; hence this graduation is laudable to us. That is why, to show good example, I as the President, enrolled in the programme, and other members of the executives of AGPMPN.”
On what the impact of family medicine training would have on Nigeria’s healthcare system, “In family medicine, out-patient treatment is holistic; we apply bio-social medical approach to our treatment. The illness of every patient has an impact on somebody, family, neigbhours, workplace or the society, and by extension, every illness has one form of economic impact on the economy of a nation. So, we can therefore not undermine the importance of the specialty in building a very healthy and robust state.”
On his part, Secretary General, AGPMPN, Dr. Kay Adesola observed that “Family physician, regardless of the training background, constitutes the critical mass needed for turning around the practice of medicine. As at the time of this convocation, only about 400 fellows and 367 Diplomates have been produced to serve the population of over 180million. No wonder, NUC announced about a week ago, the marching order requesting all universities with medical schools to ensure they start the training in Family Medicine.”
The specialty of Family Medicine has gradually gained acceptance since it got rooted in the health delivery programme in Nigeria since 1980.
AGPMPN remains the progenitor of the Faculty of Family Medicine and will continue to ensure its success. AGPMPN is also encouraging her members from all over the country to embrace family medicine as its very imperative in the near future that Diploma in FM will become a prerequisite for private practice in Nigeria’’
No comments:
Post a Comment
Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the writers alone and does not reflect or represent the views of Rayo Estelle