The recent release by the NARD against other health professionals particularly Pharmacy, Physiotherapy and Optometry raises serious concerns on whether the NARD is truly in touch with reality or simply chooses to be mischievous. There is thus the need for clarifications to be made.

The prefix Dr. is not the personal property of any profession. Tracing history, the Dr. title is from the Latin word docere which is reserved for scholars. Specifically, it is linked more to PhD holders and not 1st degree holders like MBBS who now imagine they have exclusive preserve to the Dr. title. Thus, the title Dr. can be used by anyone who earns it whether by an academic degree, a professional degree or by honorary basis, or even as a Courtesy title  (as seen with physicians with only MBBS degree which is not a doctorate but a Bachelor's degree).Hence, the genuine quest for the Dr. title cannot be seen as competing with Physicians as claimed by NARD. The title can be earned by the above mentioned health professionals just as Physicians earn theirs too.

It is also not out of place to seek better remuneration or better working conditions. Health workers on the CONHESS have a right to demand reward for labour. The clamour for adjustment of CONHESS as was done for CONMESS is based on a 2009 MoU signed between the JOHESU and FMOH which unambiguously says once you adjust any of the 2 salary scales in the health sector, the other must be adjusted by a commensurate percentage.

The thought of physicians thinking the goal is to match the CONMESS salary structure is rather an illusion and deceptive. Pharmacists and Physicians used to enjoy same entry levels which was GL 08 during internship and 09 after youth service.

The difference was two steps advantage in favour of Physicians up to 1991 when the discriminatory MSS was introduced by the then Olikoye Ransome Kuti led FMOH.Today, Physicians start their  full time job on GL 13 after their youth service with 100% Call duty Allowance using higher COMESS scale while other health professionals (including Pharmacists who ,hitherto ,enjoyed same entry points as Physicians) start their full time job  on GL 10 with 50% Call duty Allowance using relatively lower CONHESS salary scale. Pharmacists with Pharm. D and Optometrists ( Opt. D) now have enabling circulars to start full time job on GL 12 after completing their NYSC using still the CONHESS salary scale that is relatively lower.This still gives  the Physicians the relatively higher  GL advantage as they still enjoy the higher entry point with higher pay Scale of  CONMESS .
This implies that adjusting CONHESS does not translate into earning same salaries with the Physicians who are already on a higher pay scale of CONMESS and higher Grade Level but just to  maintain the RELATIVITY and EQUITY between the two salary scales in the event of amendments contrary to the  propaganda of NARD.

Furthermore, for clarity purposes, the process of getting a Pharm.D ( Doctor of pharmacy) degree is not a walk in the park. It requires the same minimum of six(6) solid years with rigorous input and workload.
Medicine and surgery just like other professions is a choice, hence, while a physician chooses to study Medicine and Surgery, a Pharmacist chooses to study Pharmacy and the same applies with other professions.

The choice of profession is guided by passion amongst other factors hence one cannot go to study Medicine and Surgery simply because of title and individual choices must be respected.
Interestingly, there is no course in any university known as Doctor or Doctoring.And globally, there are different types of doctors in healthcare.In neighbouring Uganda here to Nigeria, all graduate pharmacists are addressed with Dr title .NARD can chose to learn that the Kenyan Doctors Union ( also known as KMPDU ) is made up of Pharmacists, Physicians and Dentists.

Health disciplines' professional doctorates is a global thing and not a Nigerian creation.Our physicians here in Nigeria cannot claim to be unaware of the fact that the only professional degree of all Pharmacists trained in the USA is the PharmD ( Doctor of Pharmacy) and the holders are addressed as Doctors.

Yes , in the UK Pharmacists and Dentists may not be addressed as Doctors or with Dr title because they do not graduate with professional doctorates  from school. But however the SURGEONS in the UK are also not addressed with Dr title and they don't use it.If one may ask , why do Nigerian Surgeons use the Dr title ?It is, therefore, worrisome how some  Nigerian physicians have abandoned their work and are dragging title.

NARD claims that Patients seeks physicians for diagnosis and treatment decisions, but  this claim is rather vague and  deceptive, and it negates the place of interprofessional collaboration or teamwork. Healthcare professionals are also referred to as healthcare team. A team is not a one man or one healthcare professional show. Hence, the claims of Physicians that patients come to hospitals to see only their brethren is a ruse. Many clients patronize public facilities because of the hands on experience of the array of professionals.

Can the medical doctor diagnose alone without the aid of a medical laboratory scientist? Can the medical doctor treat alone without the assistance of the pharmacist, physiotherapist and other healthcare professionals?
A surgeon ,for instance, cannot perform surgery without the input of the pharmacy professional, because sutures and other surgical dressings are all manufactured by pharmacists.

Even the drugs which a physician can prescribe are manufactured by no other health professionals apart from pharmacists, and pharmacists clinically assure the safety of medications.

The physicians must hence recognize and respect the place of other healthcare professionals, and stop making deceptive  public statements aimed at confusing the lay public.

The title Doctor does not in any way negate the place of clear roles and trust. The NARD has no moral justification to even raise the concept of clear roles and trust when it is obvious the Physicians have left their roles and path and are  rather much more interested in other professional roles.

It is also insulting to use the term “Quackery” on their fellow sister healthcare professionals who are qualified and certified by accredited institutions like NUC & the respective Professional Council. Speaking of quackery, one may wonder the profession that is notorious for having private practice where they divert  patients , give certification to ‘self-trained’ auxiliary nurses, drug dispensers and other types of quack practitioners.  

To enhance clarity, Pharmacists put PharmD after their names, this makes it clear.

In fact, the use of the title Dr. will boost patient confidence, acceptance and adherence. If people with only MBBS degree who have no doctoral degrees but Bachelor's degree can use the title Dr , how much more the fact that a qualified pharmacist or optometrist with  PharmD or OD ( Doctor of optometry )?

If NARD members who are still students under training are finding it difficult to understand the use of nomenclature within the health care system, they should say so? We assure them that there are many qualified academics including those in Diaspora who can help tutor them.

The NARD is, henceforth ,advised to face their duties as Physicians and pursue growth in their professional career while leaving other careers especially other healthcare professions. They should rather stick to their path and roles.

NARD members who are all just students undergoing training should please focus on their studies & trainings and desist from making provocative and embarrassing statements , which can further tear apart the seriously ailing Nigerian health system. NARD should be very grateful to the Nigerian governments for sponsoring them financially unlike what their equivalent colleagues go through in other climes.

The NUC is also hailed for their decisions and are encouraged not to yield to distractions by detractors who have refused to think globally while working locally.  Nigeria is not an Island. Furthermore, policies that will  increase professionalism, career growth and interprofessional collaboration should be encouraged.

Pharm. King-David Ahuchaogu
Residency Student of the West African Postgraduate College of Pharmacists