Doctors, Medical Personnel Fight Over UCH Top Job

By Tunde Sanni

This Day, April 30, 2013

A crisis of confidence is brewing between medical doctors and other medical personnel at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan on the filling of the vacant position of the Deputy Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (DCMAC) of the hospital.

The Nigeria Union of Allied Health Care Professionals (NUAHCP) had last week at a press conference insisted that the post  of DCMAC of the hospital should not be monopolised by medical doctors but thrown opened to other medical personnel within the system, calling for caution so that the filling of the position would not rupture the cordial relationship between all professional bodies in the hospital.

The NUAHCP, comprising Pharmacists, Radiographers, Laboratory Technologists and, Physiotherapists, faulted the appointment of Laboratory Physician as DCMAC, insisting that one of their members should have been appointed.

But, taking a holistic view of the situation at a press briefing yesterday, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) averred that “if the idea of appointing a deputy for any officer is to have somebody that can step into the officer’s shoes when not available.

It noted that the only suitable person for the post of DCMAC was a medical doctor.
“Anything short of that is like appointing a carpenter to be the deputy of a pilot in an aeroplane,” the NMA said.

The NMA through its chairman, Prof. Adefolarin Malomo, pointed out that the prevailing problem was caused by the change in the designation from Medical Laboratory Technologist to Medical Laboratory Scientist without retraining or changes in capability.

He, however, said: “We restrained ourselves from pointing out the embarrassing anomaly,” adding, “world over, science is the systematic investigation into the status and dynamics of things in nature.
“It is about clarifying, extending or enriching insight and human wisdom. Science starts with the intellectual activities of initial observation based on certain assumptions and paradigms.

Such observations are then projected usually inductively,” he stated.
Malomo further noted that with a fiat, Nigeria changed the designation of those “who undertake the important and respectable activity of technologists to scientists,” stressing that “names can have some psychological effects as it is turning out now.

“World over, scientists become independent practitioners only after a minimum of PhD and internship through post doctoral fellowship.

“We all know the curriculum and levels of the Medical Laboratory Scientists required for employment as such in Nigeria,” the NMA boss said.
They were charged with a three-count charge of conspiracy, acts of terrorism and possessing explosive substances

The police prosecutor, Inspector Barth Nwaokoye told the court that the accused committed the offence at 2.15 p.m on April 13 at Emco Guest House, along Yetkem Road., Lagos.

According to Nwaokoye, the acts of the accused who were armed with explosives with an attempt to harm one Alhaji Adewale Nurudeen, were likely to promote terrorism and endanger life.
The prosecutor said the offence contravened Sections 242, 401 and 409, Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011.

They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

According to Section 401, of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State 2011,
they are liable to life imprisonment if found guilty.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs. A. Demi-Ajayi granted the defendants bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties in like sum.

She consequently adjourned the case.

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