INTRODUCTION

The healthcare sector is a unique and essential contributor to the overall wellbeing of a country, given its focus on human lives. For individuals and families, their quality of life, productivity, and societal relevance rest significantly on the extent to which they have access to and can utilize holistic care.

To achieve holistic care, which is care for the body, soul and spirit, care providers must be knowledgeable, excellent, proficient, compassionate and productive.

Those who shape or lead the sector at any level must be skilled enough to efficiently and effectively manage human, financial and material resources, to make meaningful contributions to individual and population health improvement.

They must also have passion and commitment to ensure fairness and accountability.

THE PROBLEM

Unfortunately, several prevailing challenges impact negatively on the health sector in Nigeria and other sub-Saharan African countries, and lead to delivery of substandard healthcare and poor health indices. These include shortage of financial and human resources, poor infrastructure, as well as poorly articulated policies and governance frameworks.

Quite importantly, recognized capacity gaps among leaders, managers and care givers in the health sector have enormous negative implications for health outcomes. Among health workers, poor attitude to work, poor adherence to ethics, and sub-optimal commitment to integrity and excellence, contribute significantly to observed inefficiencies and poor performance at all levels of the health care system.

While being a Christian in the health sector demands a deeper responsibility for knowledge,
leadership, excellence, integrity, performance and accountability, it is true that the gap in actual exhibition of such qualities amongst many Christian Doctors.

The call to be light and salt, requires a translation of the virtues of the Christian faith in practical terms to work on a daily basis.

However, many have divided their lives into spiritual and secular, reserving the “spiritual”
for religious gatherings, while the everyday living is seen as “secular”. The failure to live as an
“integrated Christian” creates opportunities for compromises.

A consequence of poor preparation of Christian Doctors for leadership and service is that some that have been given leadership responsibilities have gone into it as emergency, unprepared, and unable to meet minimum performance standards, leading their subordinates and other Christians to question their Christian testimony.

The gap actually begins during early years following graduation, when people are still impressionable, but have limited exposure to persons with the right values.

IfEHL VISION

With its mandate to establish a Christian Witness in every community through Christian Medics who are in the ministry of medicine, the CMDA Nigeria implements strategies to mobilize, train and deploy Christian medics who have the capacity for effectiveness and productivity in the health sector.

The course, which targets young and older professionals provides a meeting and melting point for practical engagement, peer learning, experience sharing and establishment of accountability networks.

It aims to unpack philosophical paradigms, and to refocus the mind of participants on the path to developing true and impactful Christian leadership, management and practice qualities for excellent performance.

Through a set of IfEHL courses, CMDA Nigeria seeks to address the dearth of purposeful leadership and excellence in the health sector, knowing that the future of the medical practice is bleak if nothing is done.

It is hoped that the course and the networks that will develop from it will produce a new generation of Christian professionals that will be deployed in our communities to compositely transform the health sector.

THE IFEHL COURSES

The IfEHL will roll out two flagship courses in its first two years. These are
1. IfEHL Basic Course(IBC)
2. IfEHL Advanced Course (IAC)

Description of the IfEHL Basic Course

The IfEHL Basic Course is an 8-day long training featuring a series of modules, case studies, practical sessions, reflection and mentoring sessions channeled toward the realization of the vision of IfEHL. Some of the carefully selected modules include The Big Picture, Paradigms of Life and The Necessity of Christ; The Christian and His work; Leadership, Followership and Team work; the Nigerian Health System; Efficiency, Excellence and Integrity; Ethics; Basics of Research in Healthcare and the Christian doctor and marriage, home and finances. Interspersed within the modules through the course are carefully selected case studies with Biblical foundations that are designed to help participants engage practically with the teachings of each day.

Similarly, the Group Practical Work sessions are intended to get the participants to apply lessons from the modules. The time of reflection creates an avenue for the participants to individualize and internalize the teachings from the modules and Bible Studies, while the mentorship sessions provide opportunities for sharing experiences that promote the imbibition of positive values and sound character.

Participation

The targets for the foundation course are young medical professionals who are at the early phases of engagement in the practice of Medicine. These include fresh graduates (pre-internship), interns, Corps members, immediate Post NYSC, early residency and doctors who are below 10 years of graduation irrespective of where they work.

Doctors above this level who want to be part of the basic course can also apply.

1. Limited spaces are available: Each course will admit a maximum of 30 participants.

2. Application forms can be downloaded from the CMDA website at www.cmdanigeria.org

3. All forms should be filled and emailed to the admissions office [email protected]

4. Participants will be chosen following screening of applications and recommendations.

5. Application closes 4 weeks before the start of the training.

6. Admission letters will be issued to all participants.

7. Registration is free and accommodation will be provided. However, each participant is
expected to make a minimum contribution as a commitment to attend.

8. Each participant is expected to be present throughout the course of the training.

9. Each training session shall offer 10 CPD Points to all registered participants.

Further Enquiries

For further enquiries, please contact The CMDA National Liaison Office, Hospital Chapel
Complex, National Hospital, Abuja;
08091533339
[email protected], [email protected].

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IFEHL EXPERIENCES

IfEHL 19(02) Set

My experience in IfEHl has been splendid. As a child of God, I was made to understand that practicing wholistic medicine is paramount for the kingdom, coupled with having the right mindset for excellence in all facets of life
Dr. Jesse Tanko
Words cannot express my experience in IfEHL. But I think it's a strategic program that has god put in place to give my life a purpose for which I will pour out my life. IfEHL is the hope of the health sector.
Dr. Dunama James
I really have no words to explain my experience at IfEHL. But I would say it was a blessing to me. It was so insightful and changed my perspective on certain things. I got to learn certain things about life; I am a minister and medicine is a platform to reach lives. I had to evaluate certain things I felt were important which were not relevant to God's kingdom work.
Dr. Oluchukwu Ike
IfEHL is not just a meeting but an encounter, also not just a moment, it is a movement. The new best thing that can happen to a Christian medic in Nigeria or world over is to share in this encounter of God and join in the movement. My experience as a participant of IfEHl was awesome and life changing and I would say is a great disservice if I keep mute of it as it is worth telling to all who care to listen... IfEHl - God’s master plan for restoration of excellence in healthcare system.
Dr. Aikoriogie Louis Osaheni
Ifehl is a life changing program God has used to rearrange my life. It is clearer to me now more than ever that my life has only one use and that is to fulfill purpose. Rising from this program I have decided that never again will I sit at ease in 'Zion'. Never again will my heart cleave to worthless idol. Fulfilling my purpose is the reason I live and the only thing worth dying for.
Dr. Chima Ugwu

IfEHL 19(01) Set

IFEHL was a timely retreat for me. It helped me refocus, set my priorities right and realign my will to God's will.
Dr. Kasarachi Omitiran
IfEHL was a Life-changer for me. It redefined life and life priorities to me. It was a retreat and revival ground for me; there I found new strength and wisdom to purposefully and productively engage life
Dr. Tunde Ologunde
The seven-day locked-in program set the stage for me to discover God’s purpose for my life. Every day of IfEHL opened my eyes to God’s heart for CMDA Nigeria and her role in the coming revival. I have wondered which is difficult, getting truth or practicing and living out truth? Post IfEHL for me has been a time of proving the truth I had received.
Dr. Abdulrahman. Fofie
IfEHL helped re-align my focus in life. During and after IfEHL, God put an unusual desire to seize every opportunity to carryout Heaven's expectations of me. After IfEHL, I began to think and do more with my life and I'm working daily to do all God will have me do on earth. Indeed, I feel a lot more useful on earth. I can't thank God enough for my IfEHL experience.
Dr. Gift Amlabu
IFEHL was a deeply inspiring life-changing session that transformed  my thoughts, altered my mindset, realigned my priorities and changed my life's goals.
Dr. Vivian Ewenike
IfEHL for me was a mountain of unprecedented encounters with the Word of God as far as the ministry of Medicine is concerned. One impression that has really affected my workplace experience post IfEHL is the understanding that I am not just expected to be effective but more importantly to be efficient. I have since been striving not just to be the best but to be my best. Many thanks to IfEHL.
Dr. Leke Olaoye