…says native doctors will soon start running hospitals if nothing is done
…holds 26th AGM
The Nigerian Medical Association, Ekiti State Branch has called on President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of Emergency in the nation’s health sector and introduce new policies and programmes that will guarantee welfare of medical personnel.
It also advised the President to to immediately take steps to resolve the ongoing demands of National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, and allocate at least 15% of the National budget to health as stipulated in the Abuja declaration.
Ekiti NMA Chairman, Dr. Rosiji Babatunde stated this while addressing newsmen at the end of the 26th Annual General Meeting of the Association held between 5th and 11th August 2023 in Ado-Ekiti with the theme “Medical Legislation: The Need for Inclusiveness in Achieving Stability in the Nigeria.
Dr. Rosiji noted that the neglect of the health sector was already leading to the proliferation of quacks who he said have started parading themselves as doctors and even conducting graduations to induct their apprentices to the ‘Medical Profession’.
He said: Like I previously said, if nothing deliberate is done to rescue the health sector, native doctors will soon start running our hospitals!
According to him, directive by the Federal Ministry of health ordering Federal establishments to effect the no work no pay rule on the striking doctors was extremely insensitive.
Dr. Rosiji said:”For a nation that has been dealt a severe blow by massive brain drain of health professionals, especially doctors and nurses, one expects a more definite, swift and positive response to encourage and endear these young professionals who are daily being sacrificed on the platter of excessive workload and burnout.
“For those who feel unconcerned about this current NARD strike thinking they can always jet out to receive the needed medical care, you will be shocked to meet the same Nigerians you have driven away from our health sector at your health seeking destination. Let me also remind you that you may not be so lucky to always jet out as some health conditions can hit suddenly and many examples abound attesting to this. The safest thing to do is to develop our health sector to the point that all (mighty and commoners) will be able to access healthcare at the nearest point possible.
“We know that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is never afraid of making tough decisions such as the removal of fuel subsidy on premium motor spirit which has been described to be in the overall interest of the Nation. We are also calling on him to make the ‘tough’ decision’ of acceding urgently to the demands of NARD to equally help jumpstart our ailing health sector.
Other resolutions of the AGM were the commendation of the Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji for his unwavering commitment to the welfare of workers in Ekiti State which according to them has been demonstrated again in the recently rolled out palliatives which cuts across various strata of Ekiti people.
It was resolved that the approval of pay parity for clinical workers at the Hospitals’ Management Board will now help in attracting fresh hands to the Hospitals’ Management Board and will better position the HMB for better service delivery but requested that the consequential adjustment of minimum wage and pay parity should be extended to those in EKSUTH and PHCDA.
The AGM also called on the Federal Government to provide a general cover by rolling out far reaching palliatives which will be in tandem with the over 300% increase in the cost of petroleum products occasioned by the sudden removal of fuel subsidy.
It also urged the FG to urgently address the rising cost of drugs and medical consumables before the cost of health services become so prohibitive to the point of driving patients away from public she hospitals.
Activities held during the AGM were football match between EKSUTH FC and FETHI FC at Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, donation of items including chairs, weighing scale, sphygmomanometer and infrared thermometer to help boost health service delivery at the sick bay of the stadium, free medical outreach to Ode-Ekiti on where free medical services ranging from general consultations, dental procedures, ophthalmology services, ear nose and throat consultations and paediatric services among others were rendered to almost 400 patients.
” Additionally 65 free eye glasses were prescribed to the people followed by a donation of drugs and medical consumables to the Health Center at Ode-Ekiti.
The opening ceremony held virtually on Tuesday 8th August, 2023 under the distinguished chairmanship of a past Chairman of the Association who also doubles as the Chairman, NMA National Committee on Indoctrination of Young Doctors, Dr. Obitade Obimakinde an Associate Professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery at EKSUTH and had many dignitaries and leaders of sister Associations in attendance.