Experts in the health sector in the North-East have identified burnout as a major cause of unethical behaviour among health workers towards patients in the country.

The experts, including health professionals, academics, activists and patients, spoke while responding to a survey on unprofessional attitudes of health personnel in Bauchi, Damaturu, Dutse, Gombe, Maiduguri and Yola.

Alleged unethical behaviours by medical workers in health facilities have been a concern to many across the country, with some calling for strict penalties against such erring personnel.

The situation was encapsulated by some patients in Dutse, Jigawa, who called for proactive measures to address the trends to enhance access to quality healthcare service delivery at the grassroots.

Recounting her ordeal, Zainab Tijjani, a housewife, blamed health workers for unfriendly attitude towards patients.

Ms Tijjani said she presented her baby for consultation at a health facility in the area, where she experienced an unpleasant and embarrassing encounter with a doctor on duty.

Another victim, Ahmad Zailani, blamed the workers for unruly behaviour towards their clients, stressing that special training was imperative to rejig professional attitudes among health workers in the state.

In Yobe, some patients decried alleged misconduct by medical personnel at the State Specialist Hospital, Damaturu.

Zulai Bello and Falmata Muhammad accused medical personnel of truancy and dereliction of duty.

“Patients will leave the house as early as 6:00 a.m. to enable them to see a doctor on time, but they (doctors) will not come until around 10:00 a.m.”

They further alleged that some nurses at the facility harass patients without provocation.

However, Joshua Abubakar, a lecturer Department of Community Medicine, Gombe State University, said unethical behaviour being exhibited by health workers could be linked to pressure, frustration and lack of motivation in the workplace.

He said the situation was compounded by manpower gaps bedevilling the sector, thus exposing workers to operating against the World Health Organisation (WHO) standards.

Corroborating the stance, Ummu Hani-Ja’afar, a medical doctor with Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital (ATBU-TH), said pressure was largely responsible for the perceived negligence on the part of health personnel.

She noted that the shortage of qualified personnel negatively affected performances in health facilities across the country.

Similarly, Elizabeth Carr, coordinator, Journalist for Public Health and Development Initiative (J4PD), a non-governmental organisation, said that some health workers lack passion for the job.

“Some of the health workers never wanted to study health courses, their parents forced it on them in view of the lucrative nature of the profession.

“Poor supervision mechanism, lack of adherence to hierarchy and scheme of service contributed to issues around professionalism among health workers,” she said.

To address the menace, Kabir Ibrahim, executive secretary, Jigawa State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (JGPHCDA), said the agency had adopted proactive measures to promote good work ethics and ensure the treatment of patients with respect and dignity.

Additionally, Mohammed Ghuzule, permanent secretary, Borno Ministry of Health, said patients were being encouraged to report acts of negligence or misconduct by medical workers in the state.

He said the ministry had provided complaint boxes in healthcare facilities to facilitate prompt action against unprofessional conduct by personnel.

The Yobe State Commissioner for Health, Lawan Gana, restated the government’s commitment to enhancing quality healthcare service delivery.

He said the ministry would not condone negligence and unprofessional conduct, warning that erring personnel would be sanctioned.

Solomon Bulus, chairman, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) in Adamawa, expressed the readiness of the association to protect the rights of patients in public and private health facilities across the state.

According to Mr Bulus, medical workers are expected to dedicate themselves to the care and well-being of their clients in line with the ethics of the profession.

He said the association was sensitising its members on the imperative of protecting the interest of patients, especially on confidentiality and effective service delivery.

(NAN)