20th Twitter Chart with Dr. Fatima Zahra Zango Abdul, Medical Doctor on How Do Hospital Decide Who Gets Treatment at this Difficult Time
16th of June 2020
She started by responding to a question on the category of patients that can go to the hospital at this difficult time? She stated that as we know in this trying times, the health care system worldwide had received a major blow. Its weaknesses has been exposed, hospital capacity overwhelmed, and health care workers are falling ill from the current pandemic virus, COVID 19.
This simply tells us that not everyone can be treated now. It is important to note that in a pandemic certain, the standard rules of medicine does not apply anymore.
Therefore in response to the other question as well as the above, she said, health care system has created a rationing system. A.k.a triage system.
Though a bit flawed, this help us choose who gets priority in treatment. So people with emergency conditions such as asthma, heart attack, acute abdomen (eg appendicitis), women in labor, road traffic accidents etc get priority over others.
She further stated that not everyone can be treated now. It is important to note that in a pandemic certain, the standard rules of medicine does not apply anymore.
She also advise people to stay away from hospitals especially when going to treat certain (less threatening) ailments.
You see we developing countries are at a loss. The first world countries and other have already incorporated the telemedicine consulting scheme into their healthcare system. This telemedicine ranges from robots being the first line to charts and video consultations with doctors. This helps curb the load of patients in the hospital as well as reduces the risk for otherwise healthy patient with just minor ailments.
On the issue of neglecting or rejecting patient by health workers when they visited hospitals with other diseases.
The simple answer is lack of awareness. People don’t understand the burden that pandemics and disasters put on the hospitals as well as the healthcare workers. And it is not their faults.
In creating this awareness, there must be collaboration between the Ministry of health, education, information.
She stated dialogue has been long existing even before the immergence of the Ebola virus. The dialogue has included increase in manpower, equipment PPEs, to aid the smooth delivery of health services to patients.
To some extent success have been recorded.
Discussing on plans for what happens if the number of coronavirus patients exceeds the available space in intensive care units whether we have such plans in Nigeria do we have such plans.
Well I’m sure those countries you’re referring to are the first world countries. We cannot compare with them because their medicine has by far surpass ours.
But yes, plans are being made on how to create more ICUs.
It’s a good thing our numbers are not rising as fast as that of Italy. Although that does not mean we should relax
In her recommendations to Government, private sector and general public.
Recommendations to the government includes.
- Government should learn from this pandemic and adjust to fully investing in the healthcare systems. We have seen them do it being their immediate action in creating isolation center
- The infrastructure of the hospitals should be amended.
- Health workers and other staffs working at the forefront should be fully equipped with the necessary equipment
- Increase manpower.
- Community awareness is also keys.
As for the private sectors, i would strongly recommend they also invest in our health system.
As for the general public, they should empathize with us doctors. We are also humans with families. And for every day we see a patient we put not just our lives but that of our loved ones at risk. That does not mean that we do not regard our patients of high importance.
Good afternoon all, please welcome Doctor Fatima Zango, @ZaRaXaNg who will be speaking on how do Hospitals decide who gets treatment at this difficult time at @ICTAdvocates twitter chat
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Good afternoon everyone. It’s a pleasure to be invited to partake in this discussion on this platform
Dr. @ZaRaXaNg, People want to know the category of patients that can go to the hospital at this difficult time?
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Well as we know in this trying time, the health care system world-wide had received a major blow. Its weaknesses has been exposed, hospital capacity overwhelmed, and health care workers are falling ill from the current pandemic virus, COVID 19.
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So who do you ensure people with other disease being treated at this difficult time?
Welcome Dr.
@ZaRaXaNg. Pls. Who gets priority to treatment at this difficult time?
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So who do you ensure people with other disease being treated at this difficult time?
Okay Dr. @ZaRaXaNg,
What happens to children? Are there intensive care unit resources specifically for children in Nigeria? Bebause, a report shows that, in USA children have become critically ill with Covid-19.
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Well owing to this pandemic we have seen that our health care system was indeed in shambles , but with the little the government officials has done in creating isolation centres, they are equipped with icu for children
By ethics and code of practice, are hospitals in better position to decide who they attend to?
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Yes. They are. Each hospital is governed by a functioning body who sit with health care worker, technicians, public health workers and various core staff to design a pandemic/disaster triage scheme.
Doctor
Many people are complaining about how they or their loved ones are being neglected or rejected by health workers when they visited hospitals with other diseases, what do you think is leading to this & what do u think can be done to solve the issue
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The simple answer is lack of awareness. People don’t understand the burden that pandemics and disasters put on the hospitals as well as the healthcare workers. And it is not their faults
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Who is responsible of creating this awareness, doctor?
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It is a collaboration between the Ministry of health , education, information.
Doctor, as we are coming to the end of this educative one hour engagement, what recommendations you have for gov’t, private sector and general public on situation like this, @ZaRaXaNg?
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I have already stated in my previous tweets what is demanded form the government. As for the private sectors, i would strongly recommend they also invest in our health system.
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As for the general public, they should empathize with us doctors. We are also humans with families. And for every day we see a patient we put not just our lives but that of our loved ones at risk. That does not mean that we do not regard our patients
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Of high importance.
Dr.
@ZaRaXaNg. In some countries, hospitals and public health officials are working on plans for what happens if the numbe of coronavirus patients exceeds the available space in intensive care units. Pls, In Nigeria do we have such plans?
@ICTAdvocates, @YZYau, @MubarakEkute
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Well I’m sure those countries you’re referring to are the first world countries. We cannot compare with them because their medicine has by far surpassed ours. But yes, plans are being made on how to create more ICUs.
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It’s a good thing our numbers are not rising as fast as that of Italy. Although that does not mean we should relax
As we come to the end of today’s twitter chat, on behalf of our E.DÂ @YZYau & the entire @ICTAdvocates staff we extend our appreciation to our guest, Dr Fatima-Zarah Zango @ZaRaXaNg for the educative engagement, thank you so much doc.
elmubarak bin ekute and 4 others
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Thank you so much for having me. I look forward to partaking in more discussions, that if you will have me.
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Of course, it will be our honour, doc.
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That would be great. Thank you once more.
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