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Global Health Economics and
Sustainability
Attitude of health-care workers toward hospital patients

Many stayed at home to manage their sickness. should be provided with protective gear that they
Some don’t even have money for drugs because of will use to protect themselves and treat patients. For
the lockdown without palliative care. Most people example, a thermometer that is used for checking the
patronized chemist shops. The only people who come temperature is lacking in all the health centers.” (IDI 2:
to the hospital are people who are almost dead or public healthcare workers).
who can’t manage themselves again. People died a lot “Adequate incentives will help health-care workers be
during this period, but not from coronaviruses; there committed to their work and responsibilities. It is very
was a lot of self-medication” (IDI 4: nurse). discouraging that, over the past 10 years, our salary
as doctors has not increased. The revision made by
Some IDI respondents expressed a negative and poor
disposition toward hospital care because they did not trust the past government to increase our salary has not
the healthcare workers, especially the nurses and doctors, been implemented. The government promised to
whom they viewed as potential carriers of the coronavirus pay the doctors allowances and hazards allowances,
because they were not well covered and equipped against but none of us have received them. Provision of PPE
the virus. The following are the illustrative quotes from such as gloves, face masks, sanitizer, ventilators, more
these respondents: bed spaces, and other necessary equipment.” (IDI 1:
doctor).
“Somebody like me is not going to the hospital; the
reason is that the nurses there are coronavirus suspects 3.5. Management of the attitude of community
because they are not well covered with PPE. I have fear members/patients toward hospital care during
in me; I can’t go to the hospital, and instead, we go COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria
to herbal treatment (unorthodox medication). Many The IDI respondents suggested that implementing certain
people have turned to herbal treatments. Before, many measures would enable community members/patients to
people went to the hospital when they had malaria or have a positive disposition toward hospital care during the
typhoid, but now we don’t go to the hospital because COVID-19 pandemic. This measure could get community
the doctors are not covered. We now turn to herbal members to repose their confidence in hospital care rather
treatment, using roots and leaves to cure our sickness” than self-help and self-medication, which were dangerously
(IDI 8: grass-cutting industry worker). prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic period. Some
“I was in the hospital 3 months ago because I have of the recommendations include: hospital management
high blood sugar. I could not get the proper attention should build confidence among patients and community
I needed. It made me resort to herbal medication. It members by providing adequate hospital equipment;
was even very risky that I went to the hospital because conducting mass community education and sensitization
I could have gotten infected. The nurses do not have through traditional media and social media; and educating
protective equipment such as hand sanitizers and face the populace about their right to receive adequate care in
masks” (IDI 10: civil servant). the hospital space. An illustrative quote is the following:

3.4. Management of health-care workers’ attitudes “Community members and patients have to be
toward hospital patients during COVID-19 pandemic convinced about the quality of hospital care. Equipping
the hospital is number one. Some chemist shops are
The study respondents indicated several ways the negative better equipped than the health-care centers. Number
attitudes of health-care workers can be adjusted and two is massive sensitization. Social media spreads a
changed to be positive and meet the needs of hospital lot of fake news that affects patients’ and community
patients during the COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria. members’ willingness to utilize hospital services during
Some recommendations include special education for this time of coronavirus. The government should set
health-care workers, government recognition of health- up machinery that will counter this fake news. Health-
care workers’ efforts, payment of salaries, and hazard care workers have to be educated on the best ways to
allowances. The following are the exact reflections of some handle patients in a friendly and respectful way. Some
IDI respondents: patients, because of the kind of treatment they receive

“Creating awareness: the government should sensitize in the hospital, hate going there. Some nurses and
the health-care workers. Health-care workers should health-care providers are abusive; I work with them.
be paid a risk-hazard fee. This is because they are I know how many times I had to quarrel with them.
risking their lives.” (IDI 3: A nurse). You can’t treat somebody like trash because the person
“Health-care workers should be paid well; you know came to receive treatment” (IDI 2: public healthcare
that Nigerian health-care workers are underpaid. They worker).

Volume 2 Issue 3 (2024) 7 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.2743