No fewer than 150 Social Welfare workers, including Doctors, Pharmacists and Nurses from all the 32 General Hospitals in the State, were taken through a week-long training programme by the Health Service Commission (HSC) on Conflict Management and Resolutions, towards presenting unwanted issues and crises in government-owned hospitals.
The programme, which had a series of resource persons in attendance, lecturing on different conflict management and prevention topics, was held recently at the Training Centre of the Lagos Island Maternity Hospital.
Speaking at the event, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Health Service Commission, Dr Ademuyiwa Benjamin Eniayewun said some issues if quickly nipped in the bud, will save time, effort and money, than be allowed to escalate. He advised the medical workers to always think well before acting when dealing with patients because, saying “A stitch in time saves nine”.
According to him, “If you work with people, you are providing services, and anywhere you provide services, it is necessary to provide training on services, for work to be done better. There’s no way there won’t be conflict in hospitals because people come in with their different baggage and loads, as well as different irritability.”
“So you must manage conflicts reasonably. You must proactively prepare yourself to avoid some of these conflicts the way you have set out. When conflict arises or when someone loses a relative, you as a hospital worker should not compound their pain and suffering”, he advised.
The Director of Medical Services, HSC, Dr. Wale Adegbite, enjoined the staff to use the knowledge gained at the programme for enhanced service delivery in the line of duty.
On his part, the organiser of the Training Programme and Head of Department, Social Welfare at the Health Service Commission, Mr. Christopher Chiadika advised further on the need for hospital staff to avoid confrontation, in their dealings with patients, but instead “embrace compromise where necessary, collaborate, negotiate and work together, to achieve peace”.
Lectures delivered at the Training Programme include Basic Skills in Conducting Psychosocial Counselling Sessions, by Professor Fatai Badru; Dealing with Ethical Problems in Counselling, by Professor Adejoh Samuel; Dealing with Aggrieved Patients, by Dr. Aikomo; Social Media and Gen Z: New Realities in Handling Conflicts, by Dr. Titi Tade while Dr. Tunde Ayanyemi handled Grief Counselling Session for Health Workers and Patients as well as Stress Management Sessions for Health Workers respectively.
