Doctors, nurses and other medical personnel in Abia hospitals have been told to first save the life of a patient brought into their facilities under emergency condition, before demanding for payment.
The caution was given during the ongoing training program organized by the Abia State government for doctors, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians and other Abia medical staff in Umuahia.
The programme, which is being used to prepare Patients Liaison Officers, PLOs, for hospitals, also cautioned medical staff in the State against using harsh words against patients and their family members but soft word and close care.
Speaking during the training session in Umuahia, the Chief Executive Officer of Quantus Medical Foundation, Dr. Nnenna Ihekoromadu decried the poor patient-personnel relationship in Nigeria.
She said sick persons in the hospital needed respect, soft words and close care to fasten the healing capacity of drugs, pointing out that doctors, nurses, pharmacists, Lab technicians or other staff on duty should be held accountable for good or bad service rendered to their patients.
She noted that it was wrong to abandon a patient under emergency to fate because no money was deposited by the patient’s family.
“So if a patient cannot afford care and they’ve come into an emergency situation, they will have to be treated.
“Stabilize them, treat them before you start asking about payments,” Ihekoromadu said.
She also urged the Nigerian government to ensure that medical staff in the country get good welfare package to be able to function optimally.
