Doctors, Pharmacists raise interprofessional committees to boost healthcare delivery
As part of efforts to boost the nation’s healthcare delivery system, doctors and pharmacists in the country under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN) respectively, have resolved to offer quality and effective healthcare services to patients through a harmonious relationship and teamwork.
The leadership of the two professional bodies, said it had raised some committees on inter- professional collaboration to ensure the implementation of the decision and ensure a smooth working relationship among all the various professional groups in the health sector, including nurses, laboratory scientists, among others.
Disclosing this during an interactive session in Lagos recently, President of NMA, Dr. Mike Ogirima and his PSN’s counterpart, Ahmed Yakasai, said the essence of the committees, was to instill collaboration, communication, cooperation and teamwork in the health sector in the interest of patients.
Giving insight into the interactive session, Ogirima explained: “ We are here to tell the whole world that the pharmacists and doctors are one. We all receive the same lecture in pharmacology and the way the world is going, we should not have a dichotomy.”
According to him, “ the welfare of the patient is our uppermost concern”, adding that they have resolved to work together as a team like their counterparts in the Diaspora.
It would be recalled that over the years, the Nigerian health sector had witnessed unhealthy rivalries, including battle for supremacy among the various professional groups in the sector. Now, the groups are embracing better relationships to put an end to any rifts among them.
The NMA President stated that the interactive session was a follow-up to the symposium on inter professional collaboration organised in Lagos recently by the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (NAPharm), in collaboration with PSN.
In his remarks, the PSN president said: “ In abroad, doctors and pharmacists work in harmony. They orgnaise and share conferences together. We will be happy to have such a relationship here.”
Yakasai also said: “Whatever we are doing, the centre should be the patient. And for the patient to enjoy quality healthcare delivery, there must be team work and mutual respect for one another.”
He explained that the committee on inter professional collaboration is headed by the Publisher of PharmaNews and Vice President of NAP, Sir Ifeanyi Atueyi.
The PSN president said other issues of inter-professional collaboration would be addressed at the 90th Annual National Conference of the society in Abia State.The event: “Abia 2017” would hold from November 6 to 11 in Umuahia, the state capital. The theme of the conference is: “Medicines Availability and National Security.”
