From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Stakeholders comprising Deans of Faculties of Medicine, Provosts of College of Medicine, National Universities Commission (NUC), Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), representative of the Federal Ministry of Health, among several others, have commenced the process of reviewing reproductive health curriculum being used in the training of doctors (Obstetricians and Gynaecologists), as well as other health care professionals.
The stakeholders observed that component of the training manual, theory and practical, focused more on reactionary measures, and paid less attention to preventive knowledge and skills, hence the decision to initiate some changes that would strengthen the curriculum for effective service delivery.
Dr. Friday Okonofua, a Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Benin, told journalists at a meeting of the stakeholders in Abuja, on Monday, that there was need for urgent adjustments in the reproductive health curriculum being used in training doctors and other health workers.
He said: “Components of the study on reproductive health was built around treatments, with less attention on preventative measures. This often lead to avoidable deaths. So, it’s important that our training curriculum is redesigned in such a way that students and mothers, in addition to the other knowledge, are acquainted with skills of preventive measures instead of more focus on reactionary actions.”
He confirmed that all stakeholders involved in the development of curriculum and training of doctors, including the students have seen the need to review the reproductive health curriculum fof universities, hence the support and determination to make necessary inputs.
He added: “A lot of things that often result in avoidable deaths in Nigeria doesn’t happen in elsewhere in the world, and this is because women in such places know the basic things to do whenever certain medical issues happen particularly as regards reproductive health emergencies. Doctors also empower trainee-doctors with knowledge and skills to prevent such issues.
“But the case is different in Nigeria. Doctors and their trainees, including the women are not trained on preventive measures, hence the growing number of complications on issues of reproductive. These are some of the challenges we tend to solve using the new curriculum.”
He, however, declined comment on how long it will take for the draft document to be ready for endorsement and implementation. “That’s why we have all the stakeholders here. NUC and MDCN are central to this process, and they have shown some level of commitment to that.”
He, thus, solicited the support of all the stakeholders, asking that they make meaningful inputs that would result in comprehensive curriculum that would provide superior solutions to the new challenges.
“We are just starting the process. We are at the primordial stage of the process. There are lots of identified lapses and shortcomings with the existing curriculum some of which were highlighted above. They form the basis for the exercise.
“Though, we are starting with reproductive health but we hope to extend the review to other curriculum in the College of Medicine.”