The Hardships Poor Patient’s Relatives Experience in Nigerian Hospitals
Nigeria’s health sector is suffering and if care is not taken, her condition is only going to get worse. Like a poor child suffering from undiagnosed Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita (AMC- a non-progressive condition that is characterized by joint stiffness and limited range of motion), the health sector is not ‘working.’ The challenges are grave, complex, and unfortunate: from
grossly insufficient funding, and paucity of healthcare professionals, to poor infrastructures, all made worse by the presence of a Government that does not consider healthcare its priority. The result of this quagmire is a deficiency in quality healthcare delivery in the country. Poor patients suffer the brunt of this – a common case in healthcare establishments. The patient’s relatives also suffer – however, their issues are sadly, often overlooked.
Patient’s relatives are secondary patients, and as such deserve more care and attention than what is evident in medical centers today. Caring for a sick relative is a tough nut to crack, it takes a toll on you, both physically and psychologically. In saner climes, the system provides maximum support to ease this burden; health insurance schemes, amazing caregivers network, etc. Sadly, this is not the case here, patient relatives pass through a lot when they come with their loved ones for hospital admissions, clinic visits, and for other reasons.
I have come across several individuals with bad stories to tell of their hospital visitations; deep-rooted resentment, fear, and sadness abound in their views. Some vow never to come back to seek care, preferring to find alternative help whenever they or their family members fall ill. Others are filled with trepidation and would do anything to delay or avoid coming for help. It’s
crazy but who can blame them?
A close friend once shared her personal experience of how her health challenges began shortly after returning from a prolonged hospital stay when her younger brother was admitted. She could only trace the cause of her illness to the terrible conditions she was forced to live in during the dark three months of admission. She had to sleep on a mat beside her brother’s bed every night, run about the hospital in the dead of night for medications, laboratory tests, or making payments, and eat unhealthy meals from food vendors. Yes, it was for family, and family is everything. But we must not glorify needless suffering, especially when it is possible to do better.
Substantial policies are currently lacking in our health sector and this is a huge reason, though not the only one. We’re in 2022, but our healthcare system is still trying to come to terms with what medicine is all about – providing inclusive, holistic, patient-centered care – for primary and secondary patients alike. Catering to one and ignoring the other leaves a lot to be desired.
Thankfully, these issues can be easily addressed, but only if our health sector believes in the existence of the problem. Intentional steps are required, the people have lost faith in the system over the years and this, if done right, might be a good way to start restoring hope.
Proposed Solutions to the The Hardships Poor Patient’s Relatives Experience in Nigerian Hospitals
These solutions, when applied, will bring about positive changes in this facet of our health care. The benefits include a reduction in the hostility towards health workers and aversion to seeking quality health services in the right centers, and the populace is healthier. Although the implication of holistic secondary patient care is the provision of potentially intensive and complex services that require additional resources, it proves valuable in the long run – to the patients, their families, the system, and our society. The importance of family in patient care remains critical to attaining a healthy Nigeria.
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