By Aderogba George
The Nigerian Society of Anaesthetists (NSA) has appealed to the Federal Government to provide functional Ambulances in all government-owned hospitals in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
President of NSA, Dr Busola Alagbe-Briggs, made the appeal at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja to commemorate the 2024 World Anaesthesia Day celebrated annually on Oct. 16.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2024 World Anaesthesia Day focuses on the theme “Workforce, Wellbeing”.
Alagbe-Briggs also called on the government to give more recognition to these medical professionals, as well as provide them with the needed equipment to effectively function well.
Prof. Erdoo Isamade, a Consultant Anaesthetist, University of Jos Teaching Hospital, who spoke on the theme of the World Anaesthetist day, said the theme encompassed many things.
Isamade said there were other factors that contributed to an excellent workforce such as mentorship, stressing that mentors were supposed to help mentees to grow in their work places.
“Doing it this way make the mentees to feel valued that someone who is their superior is listening to them, anaesthetist needs somebody to guide him or her’’, Isamade said.
Prof. Stella Egunma, former Faculty Chairman, Faculty of Anaesthesia, West Africa College of Surgeons, emphasised on the need to have a trained workforce to be able to have a successful surgery.
She said that if Anaesthetists were not trained, it would definitely affect their work.
Egunma said that Anaesthetists from Nigeria were valued asset and in high demand in some developed countries because of their training and developed skills.
Prof. Tonia Onyeka, a Consultant Anaesthetist, called for a better workforce environment, saying that this particular medical workforce was overburden with work.
Onyeka, who is the National President, Hospice and Palliative Care Association of Nigeria (HPCAN) also called on the Federal Government to create mental health welfare for Anaesthetists.
She urged government to put policies in place for the care of Anaesthetists, and provide equipment to enable them carry out their duties optimally.
Onyeka called for self-development among these medical professionals.
Dr Saidu Yakubu emphasised on the need for collaboration among Anaesthetists, and medical professionals generally, saying that one person could not do the work alone.
He said work collaboration would ensure provision of best service delivery to patients.
Dr Maryrose Osazuwa, Chief Consultant, Anaesthetist, National Hospital Abuja, emphasised on the need for everyone to learn the Basic Life Support (BLS) to reduce the rate at which people die from heart attack.
She said that by embracing the BLS and mastering the principles, millions of people could be saved from untimely death.
“People must take the basic knowledge on how to restart the heart, we do have training and workings on this, the basic components are so easy to carry out,” she said. (NAN)
