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By Asma’u Ahmad
Medical doctors under the aegis of the Medical Guild have raised concerns over increase in the number of doctors falling ill due to the workload in the country’s health system.
The Chairman of the guild, Dr Babajide Saheed, raised the concerns at a news conference on Monday in Lagos.
He noted that the shortage of doctors in the health system had put a lot of strain on doctors and other workers.
The medical guild is the association of all Lagos State employed medical doctors.
According to Saheed, the health system in the state will get into more crises, if the issue of dearth of doctors is not resolved.
“Doctors are having mental illness including depression, some are having cardiac problems; health workers are dying; nurses are having back pain.
“Health workers are taking sick leave; they cannot cope with the workload at the hospitals.
“If doctors are not in good health, what happens to the patient? At the end of the day, we will have poor healthcare delivery which will affect the populace,’’ he said.
The chairman urged the Lagos State Government to declare a state of emergency and work together with the stakeholders in the sector to bring about change.
He also called for policies that would better improve quality healthcare delivery in the state.
Saheed said: “We are asking for a Lagos State Health Summit to be organised by the governor.
“We hope that this will bring about a synergy between the Health Service Commission, Primary Healthcare Board, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and the Ministry of Health.
“The synergy will be with regard to the maintenance of good, qualitative healthcare delivery in the state.
“We intend to work with the incoming administration, and to help it to successfully implement good health policies in our great state.’’
