On PMB's change begins with me....

Last week I watched PMB launch the "Change begins with me" campaign and of course enjoyed all the response ( positive and negative). Even those whom I expected to throw full weight behind this campaign did not fail to take jabs at the slogan. Well, for me , "change begins with me" (if embraced by all of us) will set us on the path of tremendous growth and development.

From crossing the road to obeying traffic regulations to bribery and corruption (the list is endless) , there is overwhelming reason to embark on such a campaign. Even the much touted anti corruption crusade can only yield results if we re-adjust our mindsets. I've always believed that for any leader to succeed , that leader must first re-orient us as a people. Many pf us still believe there is a way things work in Nigeria and that nothing can change the way things are done. You either join the bandwagon or fizzle out. But from the last election, we could see how a different mindset could affect the outcome. We saw how Nigeria had a peaceful transition with no element of violence. We all agreed that votes counted after all the 1993, 2007 & 2011 stories of elections marred by violence and irregularities. We saw that when we all believed in the power of the ballot, we could define our own destiny. This can be replicated in various aspects of our lives. We must do away with the belief that corruption is a way of life in Nigeria and embrace transparency, accountability and virtues that will enable us build sustainable institutions and legacies. As a health professional, I have always believed that no amount of money can pay me for what i do. I am driven by my passion. That is why I am able to work beyond my official work duration, and work beyond my scope when able. My quote has always been " Professionalism above benefits, patients above profits". And i have always told myself, anyday i stop believing in these words, i shall resign my job.

This is the time to redefine who we are and stop living within what we have been defined as. The earlier we take this challenge and begin to do things according to laid rules and procedures, the easier life becomes for us. We dont need to travel out of Nigeria before we behave well. Let us be the change we yearn for and rightfully deserve.

What does the interior of a Computed Tomography gantry look like?

Today I had an opportunity to see what the interior of the gantry of a CT machine looks like. For quite sometime I have been curious about what a CT gantry contains. Fortunately or unfortunately, today the CT machine at my workplace developed a fault and required maintenance. Whilst the engineers worked on the machine , i spent most of my time satisfying my long curiosity. These were some images i captured...

Prioritize Healthcare Mr President-elect

Globally healthcare has been facing a plethora of challenges in recent years. This has been largely as a result of rapid growth in patient turn out with a disproportionate growth in staff strength. This has led to increased pressures on healthcare systems which remain unaddressed to date. In an attempt to cope with these challenges, different healthcare systems of different countries adopt various strategies aimed at improving patient satisfaction and reducing expenditure. 

It has become a tradition, for committees and sub-committees to be set up annually in a bid to identify gaps, proffer meaningful solutions and draft recommendations for healthcare reforms. These reports however, in most cases fail to reach implementation stage in most cases. 

However, in some developed countries, the healthcare systems have developed significantly and have made landmark achievements and could thus serve as models for developing healthcare systems that seek to restructure their healthcare systems. 

Nigeria's healthcare system has very recently been commended for its swift and effective containment of what would have been an Ebola outbreak and also eradication of the polio virus. However, much still needs to be done in areas of malaria, cancer and maternal and infant mortality to mention but a few. The crisis rocking the healthcare sector which has resulted in incessant strike actions mostly at the detriment of the patient, needs to be addressed holistically. The burning issues that are yet to be addressed by successive governments need to be studied sincerely and sustainable agreements must be made with affected parties. This is important in ensuring stability in the sector which will serve as a basis for meaningful restructuring to be embarked upon. 

It will be important for the incoming government to also review policies affecting healthcare service delivery in the country with a view to updating these policies to meet up with global best practices. In the UK, the Francis report was one of such documents that identified critical areas of healthcare practice and passed on to the government as a guide for reforms in the NHS. 

There is the need for more research to be undertaken in the health sector in Nigeria. 

Medical research is known to be expensive and dependent on accuracy and availability of data. The government would therefore need to provide sufficient funding to encourage intending researchers and the required facilities for research especially accross our teaching hospitals. 

Healthcare remains a critical sector of the economy and improvements recorded in this sector directly impact on the lives of Nigerians. This is why healthcare should be affordable and accessible. Access to healthcare should be a right of the citizenry and not be made to seem like a privilege. Implementing policies that will ensure that healthcare is not only affordable and accessible, but also effective and efficient will significantly curb the embarrassment of medical tourism. This is achievable if government prioritises healthcare. 

A Case for Youth Inclusion in Governance

Concerted efforts to promote the engagement of youth in governance has yielded little results. Till date, youth in government , both elected and appointed , contribute to an insignificant percentage in the larger picture. This is not peculiar to Nigeria alone, but has been a global topic of discourse in recent years. Despite the fact that youth consitute about a quarter of the total world population and about one third of the Nigerian population, little has been achieved as regards the engagement of this group into strategic leadership roles. It is anticipated that the youth will take the center stage and contribute meaningfully to global development through ideas and innovations. But it is unlikely that this will be achieved if youth are not given the opportunity to start harnessing these potentials at various levels of governance. 

It is imperative to clearly identify which group defines the youth. Individuals between the ages of 19-35 years can safely be categorised as youth since youth has been defined as a transition between childhood and adulthood. It is in this transitional period that many significant events occur within the individual's life and it is also within this period that the tuning of the individual's capabilities and ideologies takes place. 

Today, the highest concentration of youth is in Africa and Asia. About 60% live in Asia, 15% in Africa, 10% in latin America and the caribbean and the remaining 15% in developed countries. 

Consequently, it is hightime governments created opportunities to involve this group in decision-making to begin to provide the necessary experiences and preparing them for the future and the challenges therewith. This will provide them with mentorship opportunities and also chances to evaluate their perceptions and expectations against realities of the real world. 

As argued by Godwin Ohimai et al in a submission to the ongoing National Conference, if given the opportunity, young people have a record of surpassing expectations and achieving significant feats. Godwin et al further gave examples of Alh Shehu Shagari, Gen Yakubu Gowon, Amb Mbu, Alh Maitama Sule and the likes. In Uganda, 20 year old Proscovia Oromait was elected as a member of parliament. In South Africa, Lindiwe Mazibuko of the DA is a young promising leader whom is arguably one of the most amiable young leaders. Similarly , 27 year old Sebastien Kurz was just last year appointed minister of Foreign affairs in Austria. In Ethiopia, Japeth Omojuwa had the pleasure of the company of the 35 year old minister of Culture. The list goes on an on. Certainly, the moral burden associated with these positions of authority has to be considered while laying this argument, but with the right support, enabling environment and unbiased nomination of individuals, the benefits of youth participation in governance outweighs the burden. 

As deliberations continue in the ongoing confab, delegates could take into consideration the need to recommend lowering the bar on age limit for young people to enjoy a greater opportunity of pursuing political ambitions in state or national assemblies from 30-25 years. In the same vein, youth might begin to consider the need for a united call for an affirmative action of atleast 15% youth representation in appointments both at state and national levels just as our mothers got 33% and are even requesting it be increased. 

These go beyond mere political representation but largely addresses the global issue of youth inclusion and engagement. If addressed , this has the potential of redefining the political landscape in our dear country and also paints the picture of the new Nigeria characterised by vigour and innovation. 

Kamal Lamido