…calls for downward review of prices of services by health providers

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

NNEWI —  THE Chairman, Faculty of Surgery, National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria and former Provost, College of Health Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Nnewi Campus, Prof. Alexander Nwafor, has called on the Federal Government of Nigeria to properly fund the health sector.

Prof. Nwofor also called on health service providers and institutions to make their services more patient friendly, just as he appealed for the downward review of prices of their services to attract patients.

The retiring Prof. Nwofor, made the call yesterday at Igwe Orizu ICT Centre, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, NAUTH, Permanent Site, Nnewi, Anambra State during his Valedictory Lecture and Sendforth ceremony.

Prof. Nwofor who was a one time Acting, Chief Medical Director, CMD of NAUTH, Nnewi, said that the health sector in Nigeria needs proper funding for all to benefit in the country, saying that without proper funding the country will not get the best health service to the people.

He called on the health service providers to be disciplined, saying that his greatest achievement was discipline and it was his watch word when he acted as CMD, as every member of staff came to work punctually and stayed at their work post until close of work, because they did not want his trouble.

On his observations and recommendations, he said “I have observed that the general attitude to work culture has been on the decline over the years. Diligence and honour are no more part of our culture at work. Indiscipline, favoritism and flagrant disregard of due process are the order of the day. We should all have a rethink and a resolve to save our system from complete collapse.”

“Every lecturer should take part in teaching students and in their assessment. It is for this reason that we are here. Students should be properly supervised and guided, and if needed, appropriate sanctions should apply without sentiments. 

“We should also pay a lot of attention to the teaching and supervision of our residents. They are not just a pair of service hands, they are the future teachers and need to be guided appropriately.

“Services in hospitals are going down and this is beginning to affect training, yet a lot of people are milling around doing nothing. We need to make our services more patient friendly, the prices of service should be reviewed downwards to attract patients.

“A number of service departments, particularly, the laboratory, pharmacy and radiology, are operating at very poor levels. Patients pay for services and they cannot obtain them on flimsy reasons that there are no reagents or out of stock. Patients obtain these services outside the hospital easily and this may discourage them from coming back to the hospital.”

Retiring Prof. Nwofor, made a special appeal to the University and management of NAUTH to as a matter of urgency make the Medical students hostel habitable for immediate occupation, saying that there should be no further delay in erecting classroom and administrative blocks since there is adequate security at the permanent site.

“The relocation of the College to an obscure site far away from the road and Medical students hostel is not healthy. It hides away the College as if it is not a major stakeholder. I believe something could still be done to bring the College to a prime site, at least the administrative building.

The occasion which was organized by the Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nnewi Campus and Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital NAUTH, Nnewi, Anambra State, had its topic as “Navigating the obstacles to normal flow: Experience of a human plumber in academia.

The Awka born, Prof. Nwofor, served the institution as a former Head of Department, HOD, Dean, Provost, Chairman Medical Advisory Committee, CMAC and Acting Chief Medical Director, CMD, before his retirement after attaining the age of 70.

Prof. Nwofor during the occasion took the invited guests, colleagues and students to the journey of his residency training, early years at Nnewi, establishment of residency training and manpower development programmes, administrative experience in the hospital, administrative responsibilities in the University, headship of Surgery, Deanship, Provostship, Director Centre for Urological studies, research, journal publishing, service to the medical profession and thank God for making him see the movement from temporary site of NAUTH to its permanent site.

The two days occasion started with what the Valedictory/ Sendforth Committee, headed by Prof. Kingsley Oranusi, called “Last Stitch at NAUTH Theatre” and then the valedictory lecture at the Permanent Site of NAUTH, and the ceremony saw two former Chief Medical Directors CMD’s of NAUTH, Prof. Robinson Ofiaeli and his successor, Prof. Anthony Igwegbe in attendance.

Over fourth Professors from across the country attended the event and spoke glowingly about Prof. Nwofor’s journey to the medical profession.

Chairman of the occasion Prof. Jude Kennedy Emejulu who represented the Acting Vice Chancellor of UNIZIK Prof. Carol Arinze Umobi and the CMD of NAUTH, Prof. Joseph Ugboaja, described the celebrant as a teacher with excellence.

Other professional colleagues of the celebrant who spoke during the occasion were former MDCAN President, Prof. SNC Anyanwu, Dean of Faculty of Medicine, Prof. I.I Manchu, HOD Surgery, Prof. T U Mbaeri, immediate past HOD of Surgery, Prof. C D Emegoakor and Dr Emmanuel Obiesie, and many others.