The Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has said the state is working on improving the attitude, empathy and etiquette of healthcare professionals in its facilities.

Mr Abayomi said this while responding to complaints on the attitude of healthcare workers to patients in health facilities in Lagos.

The commissioner noted that training in these areas was a continuous process, as the state had earmarked funds, resources and initiatives, to ensure positive engagement between patients and healthcare workers in health facilities.

“We also have feedback mechanisms, so that if you have been to any of our hospitals and you had a bad experience, there is an opportunity for you to send us a message. You can drop a message inside the feedback box, as we have these boxes in our general hospitals. We also have a civil society desk in the ministry, this gives us regular feedback on the attitude of some of our professionals,” he said.

Mr Abayomi also acknowledged that brain drain was putting pressure on medical professionals, who were dealing with more work load with fewer personnel.

“We have to be sensitive to the fact that our medical professionals may be experiencing burnout and we are putting in place programmes, to identify these issues. The programmes will also help to manage these identified conditions, which are mostly mental and psychological.

“It will ensure that they are not experiencing these challenges and put measures in place to improve their conditions,” he said.

He explained that the state was working diligently to manage burnouts, alongside improving customer service training, noting that positive attitude and empathy improves patient-satisfaction, treatment compliance, and clinical outcomes

The commissioner further said that the state had introduced a process of merit in appointing the chief executives and medical directors of health facilities to improve standards of care.

Mr Abayomi said that they went through robust selection criteria, noting that managers of hospitals are of high calibre,  leading to improved and inclusive service delivery at health facilities in Lagos State.

(NAN)