HOSPITALS IN NIGERIA- NURSES AND EQUIPMENT WHERE TO START? IT IS A DIFFICULT CHOICE. I REALLY CANNOT DECIDE WHETHER I SHOULD START WITH THE MEAN AND UNCARING NURSES THAT WE HAVE IN OUR HOSPITALS OR THE DILAPIDATED STRUCTURES AND THE EQUIPTMENTS THERE IN. LET ME START WITH THE NURSES.
IT ALL COMES BACK TO THE JOB CHOICES IN OUR COUNTRY OR THE LACK OF IT. THESE NURSES MOSTLY ARE NOT NICE AT ALL, HAVE NO HUMAN SYMPATHY, REFUSE TO SMILE AND JUST TELL YOU OFF AT THE SLIGHTEST OPPURTUNITY EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE NOT BEING TREATED THERE FOR FREE. ONCE A RELATIVE HAD A BROKEN BONE AND WAS ADMITTED IN THE ORTHOPAEDIC HOPITAL AT IGBOBI. I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS GOING ON THERE OR WHAT EXACTLYTHEY WERE BEING PAID FOR AS THEY ONLY BROUGHT IN HIS MEDICATION AND ADMINISTERED HIS INJECTIONS TO HIM. HE HAD TO BE TAKEN TO TAKE HIS BATH AND TO USE THE LOO BY A FAMILY MEMBER WHENEVER HE NEEDED TO. IT WAS SO ANNOYING. ONCE, IN A DIFFERENT HOSPITAL, THEY ASKED A BOY TO STAY BACK WITH HIS AILING MOTHER OVERNIGHT AFTER HE HAD MANAGED TO RUSH HER TO THE HOSPITAL AFTER AN EMERGENCY. I AM NOT SAYING THEY ASKED HIM TO STICK AROUND IN CASE OF A PROBLEM ARISING. THEY ASKED TO SHARE THE ROOM WITH HER SO THAT HE COULD MONITOR HER PEOGRESS SO THAT THEY COULD CATCH SOME SLEEP.
WHEN A PERSON HAS THE DREADED HIV, THEY WHO SHOULD BE PREACHING AGAINST STIGMATISATION REFUSE TO GET TOO CLOSE. EVEN WITH GLOVES THEY TRY THEIR BEST TO STAY VERY FAR AWAY FROM THE VICTIM EVEN IF IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THEY ARE SCARED OF ACQUIRING THE DISEASE.THEY CONDUCT THEMSELVES WITH AS LITTLE COMPORTMENT AS THEY CAN MUSTER. WE ARE TOLD NURSING IS A PRESTIGIOUS CAREER BUT APART FROM THE OCCASSIONAL WELL PUT TOGETHER MATRONS, THE REST OF THEM MOVE IN SHOES THAT OBVIOUSLY CANNOT BE SMART IN, MOVE WITHOUT THEIR CAPS AND WEAR THEIR UNCLEAN UNIFORMS AND YOU CANNOT HELP BUT FEEL ASHAMED AS WELL AS ANNOYED TO BE IN THEIR PRESENCE.
NOW , YOU CANT COMPLETELY BLAME THESE NURSES FOR THESE UNBECOMING BEHAVIOURS BECAUSE IF THE OWNERS OF THESE HOSPITALS PUT STRICT DRESS CODES AND CODES OF CONDUCT THESE THINGS COULD BE CHECKED BUT WHAT COULD BE EXPECTED FROM THE OWNERS OF RUN DOWN AND ACTUALLY FILTHY HOSPITALS. THEY SAY THEY ARE ALL FOR HEALTHCARE YET WE ALL KNOW THAT A NIGHT SPENT ON ADMISSION OR WITH A FRIEND OR RELATIVE IN THESE HOSPITALS IS ALMOST A SURE MEANS OF CONTACTING MALARIA, ONE OF THE SIMPLEST DISEASES TO AVOID,. IF THEY WOULD ONLY KEEP THEI SURROUNDINGS CLEAN, MANY THINGS WOULD BE IMPROVED, THERE WILL B LESS MOSQUITOES AND YOUR CONFIDENCE IN THE FACILITY WILL BE AT A HIGH BUT THE REVERSE IS THE CASE AS THEY EXHIBIT THEIR UNTIDINESS AND WE ALL KNOW THAT THE MIND IS A STRONG THING. ONCE WE ARE UNCOMFORTABLE AND UNTRUSTING OF OUR SURROUNDINGS EVEN THE DRUGS MIGHT LOSE THEIR POTENCY BECAUSE WE DON’T TRUST THE MEDICAL PERSONNEL OR THE SERVICES THEY RENDER.
THE EQUIPMENT ARE SO OUTDATED YOU CAN BE SURE MANY NEWER MODELS ARE OUT AND THAT THEY DON’T FUNCTION LIKE THEY SHOULD. I OFTEN WONDER HOW CANCER PATIENTS GET THEIR CHEMOTHERAPY SESSIONS AND HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO WAIT IN LINE TO USE THE FEW MACHINES THAT THEY HAVE AVAILABLE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE THINGS YOU CANNOT BLAME THE RICH MAN WITH THE SLIGHTEST SYMPTOMS WHO WOULD RATHER VISIT A FOREIGN HOSPITAL FOR DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT THAN RISK LEAVING ONE OF OUR OWN MEDICAL FACILITIES WITH MORE SICKNESSES THAN HE CAME IN WITH.
I HONESTLY CANNOT SAY THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM CAUSED BY THE GOVERNMENT AS PRIVATE HOSPITALS ARE SOMETIMES JUST AS UNKEMPT AS THE PUBLIC ONES AND HAVE LESS MEDICAL GADGETS THAN THEIR GOVERNMENT COUNTERPARTS NOT EVEN THINGS AS IMPORTANT AS AMBULANCES.
IT IS A DISGRACE OF GIGANTUAN PROPORTIONS THAT AT THIS TIME WE STILL CANNOT BOAST OF NURSES WHO LOVE THEIR JOBS AND ARE NOT THERE ONLY BECAUSE JAMB MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO PURSUE THEIR CHOSEN FIELDS OR OF UP TO DATE AND EFFICIENT EQUIPMENT THAT MAKE THEIR JOBS EASIER AND MORE ERGONIMICAL. ALL IN ALL WE CANNOT BOAST OF A MEDICAL SYSTEM THAT WORKS.