By Okechukwu Onuegbu
The Anambra State House of Assembly, Tuesday, lamented that laxity and unprofessional conducts usually exhibited by some medical officers working in public health institutions, has forced many to abandon the facilities and patronise private hospitals.
The lawmakers, who raised the alarm at a resolution, urged governor Chukwuma Soludo's led Executive to procure and install 24-hour Remote Surveillance Close-Circuit Television (CCTV) across all public health facilities to restore public trust and eliminate medical negligence.
The House passed the resolution following a motion sponsored by the member representing Njikoka 1 Constituency, Hon Chidi Ibemeka and supported by 29 others, noted that effective monitoring of the CCTV footage by the Ministry of Health and independent complaint desk officers would help to ensure transparency across public health facilities.
According to Ibemeka, the initiative was vital for restoring the dwindling confidence of Anambra residents in public healthcare some of whom had fled to private hospitals due to a perceived lack of commitment and negligence of duties at state facilities especially Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH) Amaku Awka.
He said, "Recurring reports and public outcries regarding alleged medical negligence, slow emergency response times, and perceived unprofessional conduct by some healthcare personnel, led to avoidable loss of lives.
"The Emergency Room (ER), Intensive Care Units (ICU), and Labor Wards are high pressure zones where every second counts, and where the presence of accountability measures can significantly improve the quality of patient care.
"In the modern digital age, remote surveillance will be monitored from the Ministry of Health and an independent complaint desk officers, whom shall not be a staff of the hospital, will serve as a global best practice for quality assurance in healthcare, providing an unbiased record of events that protects both the patient from negligence and the medical practitioner from false accusations."
In support of the motion, the Majority Leader of the House, Hon. Ikenna Ofodeme added that CCTV footage would serve as documentary evidence, protect diligent workers while the negligent ones are held accountable in event of deaths caused by carelessness of health workers.
Contributing, the member representing Ogbaru 1 Constituency, Hon. Noble Igwe noted that including the independent monitoring unit would make the staff remain focused on patient care especially while handling emergency services in public hospitals.
On his part, the member representing Aguata 2 Constituency, Hon. Tony Muobike, who is also the Chairman of the House Committee on Health, lamented that existing systems like "Servicom" have failed to deliver on their mandates in public institutions which was why a new initiative should be adopted.
Others, including Hon. Patrick Okafor of Onitsha North 2 Constituency, Obi Nweke of Anambra East, Hon. Kingsley Udemezue (Idemili North) and Hon. Jude Akpua (Njikoka 2) argued that introducing CCTV in public health facilities would be safety to the workers, as well as compliment the governor's efforts to reposition all sectors.