By Chioma Obinna
LAGOS — Medical experts have decried dearth of anaesthetists in the country and called on Federal Government and the 36 states governors to invest in maternal and childcare through the establishment of Mother and Child Centres, MCCs, hospitals dedicated to the health and well being of mothers and children.
Anaesthetists are specialist doctors who are responsible for providing anaesthesia to patients for operations and other procedures.
League of Obstetric Anaesthetists of Nigeria, LOAN, at a briefing in Lagos ahead of its 3rd Annual Scientific Conference with the theme: “Mother and Child Centre, a Giant Stride Towards the Realisation of MDGs 4 & 5 and subtheme: Lumbar Epidural analgesia: an incentive for safe child birth”, decried the acute shortage of anaesthetists in Nigeria and said in Lagos that only 100 anaesthetists were serving 18 million people.
Describing it as a serious problem on the outcomes of medical treatments, President, Lagos Anaesthetists Association, Dr. A.A Mafe said there was need to train more Nigerians in the field of anaesthesia.
“We are grossly inadequate. Before now, in Lagos we have about 80 but with the establishment of the school in Badagry area of Lagos, we have been able to raise the number to 100. Lagos state is seriously doing something about it but there is need to for other states of the country to join in the fight.”
Calling on State governments to invest in maternal and child care by establishing MCCs in rural areas of the states, Mafe explained that MCC project has become a giant stride towards the realisation of MDGs 4 & 5.
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