The Nigerian Association of Dermatologists have raised the alarm over the dearth of specialists in the field in the country.
The NAD said that the grossly inadequate and disproportionate number of specialist dermatologists in Nigeria had become a matter of serious concern to the association.
Rising from its scientific conference and Annual General Meeting held at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, NAD stated that the current situation where only 81 dermatologists are available in country with a population of about 198million people was no longer acceptable.
The association in a communique issued at the end of its scientific conference and AGM, which was jointly signed by its President, Dr. Grace Chita Okudo and Secretary General, Dr. C. Onyekonwu, noted that it was unthinkable that Nigeria has an abysmally low ratio of one dermatologist to 2.4million Nigerians.
NAD also observed the harmful effects of skin bleaching practices among Nigerians, expressing regret at the unregulated sale and increasing availability of controlled skin bleaching agents.
The association further noted identification of Neglected Tropical Diseases in dermatologic practices in Nigeria.
According to the communique, “The NAD notes with dismay the absence of Dermatologists in the relevant committees saddled with the responsibility of assisting the World Health Organisation (WHO) to achieve its goal of reducing and/or eradicating NTD.
“Majority of NTD have skin manifestations and close to half can be diagnosed by their characteristic cutaneous features. These cutaneous manifestations are largely responsible for the morbidity, stigmatisation, social isolation, and psychosocial impact of these diseases.
“The role of the dermatologists in ensuring early and accurate diagnosis, effective management, and eventual control of NTD cannot be over-emphasized, thus if the goal of reducing the burden of NTD is to be achieved, dermatologists must be at the forefront of such programmes.”
The NAD also lamented the lack of dermatologic services in rural and sub-urban communities, saying, “The dermatologic needs of rural communities in Nigeria have not been met due to the virtual absence of dermatology care in these communities.
“Absence of dermatologic coverage under the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). Despite the fact that a third of visits to the general practitioner and medical outpatient departments in hospitals are skin related.”
The association also noted the emergence and re-emergence of infections like leprosy, scabies, leishmaniasis, buruli ulcer, and deep mycoses, as shown in numerous reports by conferees from various zones of the country.
“The attendant morbidity and increased burden of these diseases on the healthcare system is enormous,” it said.
NAD, therefore, resolved that the training of dermatologists and other support staff should be encouraged, adding that there was the need to increase interest in dermatology by continuous sensitisation of students and residents about the scope and range of the specialty.
The association also stressed the need to ensure unrelenting advocacy and increased public enlightenment by dermatologists on the menace of skin bleaching.
“Government needs to enforce the regulations on the use and illegal sale of skin bleaching/lightening agents. Dermatologists in collaboration with other medical workers should increase surveillance and reporting of NTD at the Local, State, and Federal levels,” it added.
NAD further stressed the “Need for partnership between dermatologists and other relevant stakeholders such as the FMoH, NTBLP and NGO like GLRA, etc, to increase the ease of identification of relevant Skin NTD.
“Need for involvement of dermatologists at all stages of programmes targeted at the control, elimination, and/or eradication of NTD, including policy making, programme development, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.”
It also said that provision should be made for “Dermatologists to also assist in training competent hands in the identification, diagnosis and management of these diseases.
“Increased government and donor funding for disease surveillance, research and treatment protocols for NTD. Improve access to dermatologic care by rural communities through frequent outreach programmes by dermatologists; training of general practitioners resident in the communities on the diagnosis and treatment of common skin diseases; provision of requisite infrastructure and incentives to enhance dermatologic care in rural areas; development of Teledermatologic
services;
NAD demanded that government must provide adequate funding to enable the implementation of the above programmes, include dermatologic services in the NHIS and increase surveillance and notification of emerging infectious diseases to relevant agencies and encourage data sharing among dermatologists.
