IN THE MATTER OF MY COLLEAGUES’ PETITION TO THE PRESIDENT
- I stand by the Ghana Medical Association.
- I am in the Frontline. I am exposed every single day. Not that other Doctors are not exposed. Far from that. But I qualify to say I take the bullets of referrals, longer hours of staying to watch breadwinners draw their last breath, and frail persons hang in there waiting to live or die.
I have witnessed firsthand post Covid Complications. It is not funny.
We have lost Colleagues! Specialists. A Rector of our Revered College. A Paediatrician who doubles as a Medical Director, and a Surgeon. - I had hoped that at this time when we are in the Fourth Wave, Medical Doctors who have the ears of the President would be making the following demands of the President:
a. Ventilators for all District Regional Hospitals with Covid-19 or Infectious Disease Isolation Centres (IDIC) so that critically ill patients can be managed well with both invasive and noninvasive ventilation: CPAP Masks, Non-Rebreather Masks, Simple Face Masks, Nasal Prongs
b. More Ambulances to aid the transport of patients to treatment centers
c. More Personal Protective Equipment for staff
When I visited LEKMA and saw their reusable gowns, tears welled in my eyes. And I believe that many healthcare workers in the Frontline are in the same situation. There are times we have had to go without N95 Masks. We double our Surgical Masks and Soldier on.
You have an opportunity as the lead of the team to bring a petition to the President, and you blow it like this?
d. Motivation for the staff in the Frontline to work: A lot are getting demoralized. Some are asking to join the mainstream practice and no longer work in Covid Isolation Centres.
A lot has still not received all the months of the 50% salary motivation that the President Promised them. You don’t think this is something worth bringing to the attention of the President?
e. Booster dose for the elderly. Health Workers. Other Frontline workers. The Diplomatic Corps. The statistics are there to prove. Those who are fully vaccinated are also getting sick. Yes! But it is less severe. The Elderly are being Hospitalised. Yes! But they are surviving!!! That is Good News! I mean it is Great News!
Most of those dying are unvaccinated.
Well, maybe I am at the Centre. So it is my duty to testify of what I have experienced.
f. Training and Retraining of Staff in Critical care of Infectious Disease Patients: Local and International Exchange Programmes.
We are grappling with Covid and Yellow Fever. Do you really think the Petition to draw his attention is for him to rescind his decision on vaccine Mandates in Public and Private institutions?
g. A well-furnished Outpatient Department for Walk-in Covid-19 Cases and Post Covid-19 Review.
This will have a two-prong approach to Covid Management:
i. Suspected Cases/Confirmed Cases with Mild-to-Moderate Symptoms will not go to the main OPD to wait their turn to see a doctor. They will come to the Covid OPD directly where they will be assessed and given the option of home isolation or Admission. (There is a fine Model at the GARH. Even though it is not well furnished. Donors can come and support this cause)
ii. Severe cases who recover and are discharged home are given one week to come back for the final Review in order to be cleared from the Covid Pathway and reintegrated into the Mainstream Clinical Care and Physician Review.
This is how we have been practicalizing the theory of the Principles of Infectious Disease Control and Prevention:
- Eradication/Elimination of the Causative Agent/ Reservoir
- Interrution of the Transmission Pathway
- Protection of the Susceptible Hosts
h. More Media Engagements. Letting the Healthcare workers communicate the real issues on the ground. Reveal the actual figures. Show to the public that in this pandemic, most of the components of Health Information such as Health Resources, Utilisation, Health Status, Indices of Outcome, are either overstretched or, in the case of Manpower, Burned Out!
We need to be heard. We need to build public trust. We have to win them to our side.
Like the Songwriter stated, We have to “Plead with them earnestly, Plead with them Gently.” If we lose that public trust, we must as well say goodbye to our Clout as Doctors!
There are two sides to history. I want to be on the right side.
The Petition, respectfully, is flawed.
In fact, The petition needs a counter Petition. I am ready to lead the Charge!
Written by: Dr. Emmanuel Addipa-Adapoe
Source : www.rymcitigh.com
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