Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has advocated a review of curriculum being used to administer knowledge and medical skills on undergraduate medical students in Nigerian universities.
It said the current curriculum being used in universities has some shortcomings had limited the effect of doctors and other health workers in hospitals particularly the younger ones.
NMA President, Dr. Francis Faduyile, who addressed Reporters in Abuja, on Thursday, on the outcome of the just concluded 2nd national health summit, specifically observed that the medical curriculum lacked the capacity to impact non-technical skills, such as managerial, leadership and communication skills, on undergraduate medical students and other health professionals.
He said: “We need to make some critical changes on healthcare services in Nigeria, and it must start from training of medical students. Obviously, there are so many things lacking in the current medical curriculum being used to teach in universities.
“The curriculum had hitherto, laid emphasis on illness and not the total welfare and well-being of the patients , and that’s what we intend correct in the new curriculum. In some countries, medical students are fully exposed to patients from their first year in medical school so they can be acquainted with many things that are beyond the presentation of illness. Regrettably, otherwise seems to be the case here.
“Over the years, medical curriculum has changed from being compact to being a broad based curriculum that enable doctors and health professionals to know beyond the illness, thus sharing the pains of the patients and also involved them in decision making as regards their health and total well-being.”
He was happy that some institutions have started using the suggested integrated medical curriculum which exposes medical students to patients early.
NMA President registered his discontent with the rate of emigration of healthcare professionals including medical and dental practitioners, with heart-breaking statistics in recent time, not only to developed countries but to other African countries.
He, thus implored Federal and States government to genuinely commit to ending medical tourism by supporting local medical professionals through good working conditions, remuneration and other interventions that would enable them offer best medical services to health seekers.
He said: “Government must rise to the occasion and dissuade some of the underlying factors that encourages brain drain and mass exodus of Nigerian medical professionals.”