Nigerian Medical TV series – A dream?

No doubt the world of Medical TV series is not a new one. In the western world we have well thought out Medical series like ER, Grey’s Anatomy, Chicago Med, The Good Doctor, New Amsterdam and urm erm Scrubs.

However, Nigeria is a complex environment and medical practice here, unlike abroad is limited by inadequate manpower, a disillusioned workforce, poor and outdated equipment, poor maintenance culture, stiffling work environment and work culture. Plus a populace that view health practitioners as the enemy instead of the system. 

So, I put this question out on Twitter: What would it Take to make a totally Nigerian Medical TV series?

As expected I got a variety of answers from a variety of perspectives.

@doctorsmag replied: ‘Then the conversation will end with “someone needs to make this happen” and in a month’s time another person will ask same question for hundredth time… and we will go round and round in circles again.’

@MedicalScripter: ‘Hard work and commitment! I had always desired for one. Apart from the fun, it would be a great avenue to give our people the right info about common diseases! I wonder why NMA has never thought along this line! It can be done and Im very interested’

@DoktaMuffin: ‘Would be interesting way to expose people to the obstacles that doctors/medical staff deal with that impact patient care.’

Apparently, there was a Doctor’s Quarters that aired sometime in 2005 – 2006 starring Funlola Aofiyebi and Kate Henshaw-Nuttal. I’ve not been able to see any of the episodes as I can’t find them on YOU-Tube

Some important questions we need to answer.

First Question: Are there stories to be told?

Answer: Oh Yes! Lots and lots of them,

• Stories about the character of patients and their relatives (Have you read my novel, Twisted Tales From Medicine?)
• Tales about inter professional relationships and rivalry between medical personnel
• Ward round drama
• Stories about different health conditions prevalent in our society e.g. Sickle Cell Anemia, HIV and their intrigues
• Unique healthcare problems related to our society e.g Gunshot wounds, ambulance services, bed space problems, doctor strikes and attendant effects
• Medical students and their lifestyle.
• Social problems that impact medicine e.g. rape, female genital mutilation.

So Why is creating a medical Tv series such a challenge in Nigeria?

I have mulled on this. Apart from the obvious production costs, other challenges would be

1. Location: where would the setting be? A Teaching Hospital? General Hospital? Busy private hospital or Primary Health Care centre.  There are unique challenges in each of these places. In a teaching hospital for instance, challenges would include getting approval from the Hospital management/ Government. Of course, the show will highlight their deficiencies and expose their inadequacies.
2. In the Teaching/ General hospital setting, old professors and consultants view medicine as a sacred profession that should not be diluted with secular activity. They will be livid seeing cameras and beautifully dressed and made up ‘boys and girls’ around.  We can overcome these challenges if they view it as a win win situation. It can portray the hospital in a good light to the public, increasing clientele and patronage and driving up revenue. Real patients do not have to be disturbed in the making of this series, a separate unused ward, many of which abound in our teaching hospitals can be converted for shooting.
3. A dearth of medical story writers or writers that have a medical background or writers that can write plausible medical tales. Doctors don’t really have the time for any other thing than doctoring. However, with the realities on ground they have become financially wiser and are ready to try other things.
4. Equipment: Getting equipment shouldn’t be difficult if an actual hospital is used. But then, will equipment even be functional? Will the hospital be able to release said equipment that may be needed by the patients at that time? It is time we go past depicting Nigerian hospitals on TV by just white coat, stethoscope and BP machine. We need to show Anesthetic machines, X-Ray units, CT scan, ultrasound scan etc. Again, if these instruments and machines are borrowed, the problem of sterility and transfer of infection has to be looked into.

So the million dollar question: Are we ready for a fully Nigerian Medical TV series?

What do you think?

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