The Medical Guild, an umbrella body of Lagos State Government-employed medical and dental practitioners, will hold its General and Scientific Conference on Thursday to discuss values in medical practice.
The conference, themed “When the Doctor is the Patient: A Critical Appraisal of the Hippocratic Values in Medical Practice,” aims to address challenges facing the medical profession, particularly the interference of multiple regulatory agencies, according to the Guild’s chairman, Dr. Maruf Abdulsalam.
Dr. Abdulsalam expressed concern over the harassment and increasing hostility faced by doctors from the police, consumer protection agencies, and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.
He noted that the medical practice environment has become increasingly hostile due to the growing wave of scrutiny and harassment from these agencies, which attempt to criminalize issues that should ordinarily fall under the jurisdiction of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
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He described these actions as heightening tension, causing undue anxiety, encouraging defensive medical practices, distracting from patient care, and demotivating professionals. He further noted that such challenges contribute significantly to the high attrition rate among doctors in Nigeria.
The event will feature a panel of experts, including a medical law expert, the Director of Public Prosecutions of Lagos State, a representative of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, and a representative of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police.
Dr. Abdulsalam also urged relevant government agencies to address the challenges affecting members of the Medical Guild, including the demotion of specialist consultants due to incorrect step entry points into the public service, which has led to a loss of income, low morale, and reduced interest from prospective specialists in joining the state health service.
He also highlighted issues such as the non-deduction of contributory pension and National Housing Fund deductions for resident doctors in Lagos State, as mandated by the Pension Reform Act of 2014, and the non-implementation of a comprehensive premium health insurance package for medical doctors.
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