By Yashim Katurak
Abuja – The Centre for the Right to Health (CRH), an NGO, has called for a complete overhaul of curriculum used in the training of medical and health professions in Nigeria to be at par with international standards.
Mrs Stella Iwuagwu, the Executive Director of CRH, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Saturday.
Iwuagwu said that this measure was one of the major changes needed in the health sector which would help in actualising optimum health care service delivery in the country.
She also called for the incorporation of courses such as “Patients’ Rights” in the revised curriculum as knowledge about this would enable health personnel offer better services to patients.
“For optimum health service delivery in Nigeria, there is need to overhaul the curriculum used in training our healthcare professionals to be at par with international standards and incorporate Patient’s Rights as part of their courses.
“There is also need to equip our hospitals with modern day equipment and incorporate new technological advancements in our diagnosis and treatment of patients.
“The government should also make the working environment conducive for health service providers and increase its surveillance to checkmate quackery.
“More importantly, the government should employ more professionals as a good number of hospitals in Nigeria are under staffed thereby putting much pressure and strain on the few that are employed.
“For private hospitals, the regulatory agencies and professional bodies should peg a minimum number of healthcare professionals one must have before he can establish a private hospital depending on the size of the hospital.
“I urge the Federal Government to enforce the WHO standard for minimum number of patients per doctor or nurse,” she said.
Iwuagwu also called on government to increase funding for the sector as quality health service delivery was capital intensive.
According to her, government should fund the health sector adequately beyond the annual budgetary allocation,.
“Government should pay attention to implementation and ensure that monies budgeted are utilised for the purpose for which they are budgeted,” she said. (NAN)