AKSG to Sanction Medical Workers who Trample on Patients’ Right
…Trains Health Workers on Customer Service
The Akwa Ibom government has warned medical doctors and nurses in its employ that any infraction on the rights of patients will be met with appropriate sanctions.
The commissioner for health, Professor Augustine Vincent Umoh gave the warning while declaring open four day Customer Service Training for 400 Doctors and Nurses at Watbridge Hotel , Uyo, Tuesday, noted that the poor attitude to work and the rude approach to patients seeking medical attention had attracted negative reports even to the state governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel.
According to the commissioner, in addition to lateness to work and absence from duty, some patients and relations have been victims of verbal abuse and insults from health workers , a situation, he said had invariably impelled some patients to seek care in private health facilities where they could be treated with respect and friendly manner.
“This should not be so if workers abide by their professional ethics and publics service rules,” he added.
He observed that the state government had invested heavily in the health sector over the past seven years as evident in the recruitment of health workers across the cadres, the renovation , remodeling and reconstruction of several hospitals as well as the re-equipping of the hospitals including electronic medical records, all made towards providing a conducive working environment for workers patients.
Umoh pointed out that doctors and nurses who leave for greener pastures overseas that used to be rude to patients fall in line once thy secure jobs and perform creditably, hence keeping their jobs.
The commissioner said that the state government had in its magnanimity decided to give workers the benefit of the doubt in the hope that erring ones would turn a new leaf.
He also explained that the essence of the seminar was to engender a paradigm shift in attitude towards a patient- centered approach in line with professional ethics, compassion and respect for the rights and dignity of the patient.
He maintained that the state government places high premium on human resource especially for health workers which include: prompt and regular payment of salaries to workers , sponsoring series of training to keep them abreast with advanced medical technology and sciences in order to align their practices with global standard.
Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Patrick Essiet who corroborated that several complaints have been received at the health facilities said the Ministry had to intervene to avoid litigation or loss of staff. He stressed that the training was necessary to have a change of attitude from the workers.
Essiet charged the health workers to be good ambassadors in customer service and to endeavour to give good services to the public.
The facilitator from Consortium DCI, Mrs Olubosola Ogunlolu said the training would enable the workers to do their job professionally without infractions , saying that in the health service, the patient remains the most important personality .