Medical Director urges anguished relatives of patients to stop attacking doctors

Prof. Obinna Onodugo, Chief Medical Director of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, has urged patients’ relatives to stop harassing and visiting violent doctors.

He spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria in Enugu on Friday on the side-line of the 46th General and Scientific Meeting of the Nigerian chapter of the West African College of Physicians.

He decried increasing violence visited on doctors by anguished relatives of patients and asked for an end to the misnomer.

“We understand that people are experiencing the impact of current economic realities as well as unimaginable pains when they lose loved ones.

“They should, however, not vent their frustrations on innocent doctors who are doing their best to attend to patients.

“Inflicting wounds on doctors or chasing them around with dangerous objects do not reverse developments.

“Our doctors must be protected and treated with some level of dignity,’’ Prof. Onodugo said.

He lamented the high cost of running health facilities exacerbated by the high cost of diesel to power electricity generating sets.

“Truly, the daily energy cost is becoming terrible.

“It is time governments invested in renewable energy to cut the cost of energy, which is imperative in the running of health facilities.

“ This will further reduce bills payable in these facilities by patients,” he said.

Prof. Onodugo also told NAN that senior doctors and consultants, members of the college, would deliberate on increasing the brain drain in the medical profession.

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“We will brainstorm on how best to check our well-trained doctors leaving the shores of this country.

“We want governments at all levels to support doctors and other health professionals with state-of-the-art working tools and make medical equipment available,’’ he said.

The meeting, which began on July 26 and ends on July 30, has: “Building a resilient health system: Addressing the impact of emerging and re-emerging pandemics” as its theme.