No! The Medical Doctor is not the only medical practitioner
The attempt by Dr Ernest Yorke, a Consultant Physician and the current Chairman of the Greater Accra Division of the Ghana Medical Association and all those who think like him to look down upon every other professional operating within the Ghana’s Health sector other than them, the medical doctors, must immediately be nipped in the bud else we risk the lives of our clients who visit our hospitals to seek for health care services.
It will be recalled that during the recently held 64th Annual General Conference of the Ghana Medical Association [November 1-6, 2022 at the Fountain Gate Chapel in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East Region], their President, Dr Frank Serebour, categorically stated that: "There is one, and only one medical practitioner and that is the medical doctor and the dentist" and that all others who claim same "are only disappointed chameleons." It is captured on tape, which is in the public domain.
Advertisement
And just like Dr Serebour, Dr Yorke has further added salt to the injury by writing a piece of advice to medical doctors to take up their rightful positions in the healthcare sector in what he has titled: "THE BATTLE LINES HAVE BEEN DRAWN-A CALL TO ACTION!" In the said write-up, he makes very provocative statements that all are aimed at looking down on other healthcare practitioners in the healthcare sector.
There is no denial of the fact that Medical Doctors play a very huge role in the care of clients as they seek for health care services. The point must be made clear that it is not only the Medical Doctors who offer health care services within the health care setting and so and therefore any attempt to see other categories of workers within the health sector as middle level personnel other than them leaves much to be desired.
It is general knowledge that there exist other professionals within the health sector such as the Pharmacists, Nurses, Physician Assitants, Certified Registered Anaesthetists (CRAs) (of which the writer of this piece is a member), Midwives, Medical Laboratory Scientists, Public Health staffs, Medical Health Record personnel, Physiotherapists and all the others who due to lack of space and time won’t allow to be listed here and so must be seen as such with diverse training and qualifications.
To make a blanket statement that other health professionals in the health sector such as the CRAs and Physician Assistants have made deliberate attempt to muscle doctors for recognition, false competency claim, authority and power is an unfortunate and reckless statement to be made by a Doctor of his calibre.
The reason is, who says everyone from the beginning wanted to become a Medical Doctor? And in any case how could everyone in the health sector end up as Medical Doctor? In that case, who would have become the Nurses, the lab scientists and the CRA if all went to study medicine to become Medical Doctors?
When a CRA after 2 years in school receive specialty training in Anaesthesia followed by a (1) one year mandatory internship, comes to offer about 90% of Anaesthesia services in the Health sector, who says that person must not be recognised for the immense role he/she plays in the health care delivery system of the country?
To become a CRA means:
1. 3 years Registered General Nurse training plus a year mandatory Rotation.
2. Then serve for at least 3 years as a Diploma Nurse.
3. Receive a specialty training to become a Certified Registered Anaesthetist
Who says such a person has false competencies and that is now looking for recognition. Isn’t it a statement of fact that the Certified Registered Anaesthetist across the length and breath of this country offers about 90% of Anaesthesia services to all surgical cases in this country? Isn't it quiet recently that you have succeded in persuading a sizeable number of newly qualified ones to take up Anaesthesia as a specialty and reluctantly accept posting to so-called deprived areas so that you can bolster your presence in these areas?It is an open secret that majority of you are not conversant with staying and working in these deprived areas and therefore this move is a nine-day wonder.
Do all Medical Doctors have accreditation to practice Anaesthesia? No!. So if all CRAs do not have don't have the certificate to practice medicine and are not competing for that position, why can’t the CRA receive the due recognition (he/she deserves accompanied by the commensurate remuneration for providing such an essential service befitting of his/her services?
Must it always be about the medical doctor because they are seen as super humans? If all the work in the health sector is left for medical doctors can the health system run as it is currently. It is worthy to note that, the healthcare team runs from the doctors as heads and down through all the other professionals including the orderlies/cleaners to make the team complete and functional.
Their Better conditions of services coupled with better allowances ranging from fuel allowance, risk allowance, additional duty allowance, rent allowance, clothing allowance and until recently the 13th month salary which is to be paid by all facilities for medical doctors hasn't been challenged by any professional body.
The days where knowledge in medicine was limited to only a few is past and gone as medicine is defined as the science and practice in caring for patients, managing diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease and promoting their health. So, if medicine encompasses a variety of health care practices to maintain and restore health, why must it be portrayed as it is only the Medical Doctor who offers all these range of services to the client?
The earlier the Medical practice is seen as comprising of professionals from various sectors of the health care system with well defined roles working as a team and understand teamwork, the better it will be for the entire Health system in Ghana.
The days when Medical Doctors saw themselves as 'tin gods' and so everything must be given to them and only them are gone and the earlier they see that the better for all of them.
In conclusion, in as much as CRAs are not calling for salaries of Medical Doctors to be given to them, why must it be seen as if the CRAs are at loggerheads with the medical doctors.Let each one recognise that we work as a team for the betterment of our clients and not see other cadre of professionals as middle level personnel fighting for recognition they don’t deserve.The time has come for the ministry of health and all other health-related agencies to be open and accommodate all health care professionals and accord them the appropriate equivalent recognition.
This article was written by Benjamin Amoako Frimpong (POPA), a Snr. Certified Registered Anaesthetist.
