Some practitioners have called on the government for better working conditions, as well as support for the training for doctors to enhance the medical profession/practice in the country.
They stated this at the event with the theme ‘Compassionate Care in a Digital World’, held to mark the World Family Doctor Day in Benin.
The event was put together by the Department of Family Medicine, University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) on Tuesday.
The keynote speaker, Consultant Family Physician and Head of Department Family Medicine, Irua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Dr. Chidozie Affusim, emphasised a complementary application of human feelings and technology to strike a balance.
He said, “Digitalization is a plus because it has made the work much easier but the problem is that human compassion is disappearing and that is what our specialty is out to bring back. Even with the use of technology, the incorporation of respect, dignity, emotions and human compassion gives a patient a sense of belonging because all of these are natural therapies in themselves that enhance healing.”
Chairman of the event and Managing Director of Eco Hospital, Benin, Dr. Obaze Matie, appealed to the government to create a security friendly environment for not just family doctors but the general practitioners to enable them to contribute to the growth of Nigeria instead of the mass exit being suffered today.
“We do not have many family doctors in the country presently and because of that the work of family doctors is done by other specialists in the field of medicine. Family medicine offers the most cost intensive approach of providing universal health for the country.
“To achieve this, the government must support the training of more family physicians in the country and provide factors to retain them in the country which is the greatest challenge across in the labour market in the country now. Most importantly, the government must ensure their safety because insecurity is one of the drivers of the mass exodus.”
While highlighting the importance of the event, Dr. Osaze Obaze, Head of Department of Family Medicine (UBTH), identified that May 19th is a global celebration of Family Doctor Day and it is set aside to celebrate specialist practitioners in Family Medicine as well as sensitise the public on key issues in the practice.
He also identified the importance the theme at a time when Artificial Intelligence is gradually replacing the relevance of the human feelings in diagnosis.
He recommended that the services of family doctors should be embraced by Nigerians because beyond being a physician, the family doctor overtime becomes a family member.