So I was privileged to have been among the two people who were at Asaba airport yesterday, to welcome and pick up the Chief Medical Director of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital after he had returned from a trip outside the country, which he embarked on with the Minister of Health and some other prominent figures in the Nigerian healthcare space, to see what advanced climes are doing differently in the healthcare space, so as to incorporate same into what we are doing here in Nigeria with the ultimate aim of improving our quality of healthcare for our patients.
Being that the Chief Medical Director Dr. Joseph Ụgbọaja, OON had been away for a week or thereabout; despite having very capable hands in his Clinical team, he didn’t find it rational to go home and rest yet, as he was interested in seeing for himself what is going on at the Teaching Hospital and having a firsthand experience of how things are going on at the temporary site.
Read also; Making the most of all situations.
We got into Nnewi at about 8.30pm, then the Chief Medical Director moved straight to the Accident and Emergency Unit of the hospital, after which he went to almost all the wards to see what was happening in the hospital at night.
When we got to the A & E, there was this Obstetrics patient who had some issues with her health.
At the sight of this Lady in pain, the Chief Medical Director got curious and started asking the woman clear questions about how she is being managed so far, since she stepped into the hospital.
The woman was very kind to emphasize that the Senior Resident Doctor who was handling her has been hands on and very efficient at discharging his duties.
Read also; Keep an eye on your body weight before it destroys you.
Guess what? This Doctor in question, had just stepped out to eat, just few minutes before the CMD stepped in for an on-the-spot assessment of the A&E.
The CMD was visibly furious for having not met the Doctor on call at his duty post and directed that I call the Doctor to show up immediately or face dire consequences.
When the Doctor arrived, he was a bit fidgety which is understandable because this is the representative of the Presidency in front of you, as long as the Teaching Hospital is concerned, and one stands the chance of being punished according to civil service rule if the explanations aren’t satisfactory.
It was at this point that the Doctor, summoned the courage to give the CMD details of what he has done for the patient so far.
The procedures used so far as enumerated by the Doctor on call really gladdened the CMD’s heart.
Read also; Who protects the Nigerian consumer?
The CMD was even most pleased when the Doctor mentioned how he went extra steps further, to help see to it that the woman undergoes some procedures that would help her heal more.
At the end of the day the CMD called the patient before the Doctor, to ask her if all these as reported by the Doctor were true.
The patient even added that the Doctor had been very good to her all through.
Mind you, this patient is also not a single Lady for the folks whose mind would wish to wander. She is someone’s wife that just lost a pregnancy.
The words from the patient were soothing to the ears of the CMD such that he ended up literarily giving the Doctor on call a pat on the back for job well done.
Read also; African youths transforming the world of medical diagnosis with innovation.
Imagine if this Doctor was hostile and not professional in his engagement with the patient, probably this Doctor in question would have unfortunately received a tangible dent on his record of service last night.
Finally as a health care worker, give your best to your patients, assist them anyhow you can as long as you don’t go foul of the code of conduct of your profession.
That patient whom you serve selflessly today maybe your biggest asset tomorrow. I know this for a fact.
Serve these patients as though you are serving your God, it pays to give them your best service.
©Okeh, Onyekachi