By Gift Chapi Odekina
Stakeholders in the health sector on Wednesday threw their weights behind ongoing efforts toward the amendment of the University Teaching Hospital (Reconstitution of Boards), 2004.
The bill which seeks to restructure the composition of the Governing Board, review the nomenclature of the Heads of the Hospitals, redefine the qualifications of Heads of Hospitals, define tenure of heads of hospitals including students of health sciences in the training programmes of hospitals was sponsored by Rep. Bamidele Salam (PDP-Osun).
Presenting the bill at a public hearing by the House of Representatives observed that the hospital administration is a speciality within healthcare administration; it is one of the most advanced leadership careers in healthcare. It focuses on the overall operation of hospitals and other significant health facilities and requires both healthcare experience and administrative/management acumen.
The purpose of the bill he said is to strengthen the administration mechanism of University Teaching Hospitals through the broadening of its administrative heads and entrench greater professionalism in the management of our medical tertiary institutions.
He expressed optimism that the legislation will also considerably reduce inter-disciplinary rivalry within the teaching hospitals by ensuring that all critical stakeholders are involved in the composition of the Boards of the teaching hospitals.
According to him, the Bill is in tandem with global best practices with special references to the United Kingdom, United States of America and other countries where medical training have been successfully.
Also the leadership of the House and Stakeholders drawn from the medical and health sector as well as Community leaders on Wednesday expressed overwhelming support for the two bills whick seek to establish upgrade Wesley Guild Hospital, Illesa to Federal Medical Centre in Osun State, sponsored by Hon. Lawrence Babatunde Ayeni (APC-Osun).
Hon. Ayeni explained that the Wesley Guild Hospital located in Ilesa has all the required facilities for conversion of Wesley Guild Hospital to Federal Medical Centre.
At a press briefing, the JOHESU delegation led by National President, Nigerian Union of Allied Professionals, Dr. Ogbonna Chimela and Pharmacist Olumide Akintayo urged that the bill should not be a replica of Decree 10 and that the Head of health institutions should not be skewed the medical doctors alone.
He also urged that the appointment of the medical directors should be reviewed with view to provide enabling environment for all healthcare professionals and administrators as well as managerial skills in order to provide room for competition.
Also speaking, National President of National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, Nnachi Mike expressed support for the reconstitution of the Board so that best practices can be maintained.
“The change of leadership will certainly move the health sector forward. Without the patient, you may not need the doctor, the pharmacist, the nurse, the laboratory scientist. It is only when we work together that we can impact positively on health of the patients,” he noted.
However, in his presentation, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osage Ohanire who was represented by Director Hospital Services, Adebimpe Adebiyi explained that the university teaching hospital is a well organised system under the federal ministry of health with a mandate with manpower training and primarily designed to train medical students.
While noting that the Chief Medical Director of University Teaching Hospital is not only an administrator but also ensure that standards are maintained he argued that the “passage of this bill into law will lead to a huge disruption in the health sector” and further worsen the brain drain syndrome being experienced in the country and lower standard of healthcare, rather than this bill, expertise should be placed on addressing the brain drain, improving hospital infrastructure.”
In the same vein, President of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Uche Rowland Ojinmah, who opposed the entire provisions of the bill argued that the “bill as proposed seeks to defeat the purpose for the enactment of the Principal Act that is seeking to amend.
“It is important for us to know that unlike other government hospitals, the university teaching hospital, starting with University Teaching Hospital, Ibadan were established primarily for the purpose of training the medical students.
“Prior to the enactment of the principal act, university teaching hospitals were run by directors of administratlon. This caused a lot of crisis as the directors of administratlon were more focused on the financial bottom line to the detriment of training and research.
“The Principal Act made the position of the Chief Medical Director, a full time position to be occupied by a person who posseses professional qualification similar to those of the dean or provost of the associate medical schools and with cognet administrative experience in matters of health.
“The Principal Act vested the control of teaching hospital in the person whose primary field of competence as a fully registered medical practitioner and dental surgeon imbued him with knowledge and legal standing to take charge of management of patients and training of medical student who owned the teaching hospital.
“The requirement of the principal act that a CMD must be a person who is fully registered medical practitioner or dental surgeon is not a mistake. It is in keeping with the provisions of the laws of the federation of Nigeria.
“It is not the headship of the teaching hospitals that is the problem, it is the state of the nation. This country does not fund teaching hospitals well.”
While declaring the public hearing open, the Speaker, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila who was represented by the Majority Leader, Hon. Alhassan Ado-Doguwa expressed optimism that the legislations would strengthen the country’s healthcare system.
“The onerous responsibility bestowed on the House Committee on Health Institutions by both the House Standing Rules and the Constitution, is achievable when the caliber of its leadership and membership are taken into consideration.
“The present 9th House of Representatives at its inception in 2019, set out for itself a legislative agenda whose implementation will surely bring about a tremendous improvement in the living condition/standard of our citizenry.
“Today’s hearing, no doubt is in line with the agenda and so also I expect the outcome. Distinguished stakeholders, I wish to urge you to freely express your views/opinions either for or against the subjects of this hearing in a manner that will bring about the sustenance of our collective will to be together as a Nation. Remember we have no other Nation to call ours.
“The way you conduct yourself during this hearing will speak more about us to outsiders and as such you are expected to conduct yourself with decorum” he said
