NMA Calls for A Reversal of Negative Health Indices

By Prudence Ijah, Abuja – November 6, 2019

Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has called for a reversal of the negative health indices in the country.

The NMA National President, Dr. Francis Faduyile, who made the call in Abuja in a briefing to herald the 2nd NMA National Health Summit (NHS) and the 25th Triennial Conference of the Commonwealth Medical Association (CMA) said collective effort is needed to provide effective and efficient healthcare services to Nigeria’s teeming population.

The theme of the summit is Patient Centred Care, with Improving the Nigerian Care Indices, Inter-Professional Relationship in the Health Sector, Brain Drain and Brain Gain as sub-themes. Other sub-themes are Universal Health Coverage, Public-Private Partnership, and Reversing Medical Tourism.

He said the National Health Summit (NHS), was conceptualized by the Nigerian Medical Association at a time when the health sector was yearning for a total revamp in order to improve and meet the health needs of Nigerians.

“The NMA decided in 2013 to walk the talk for the resolutions of the myriad of problems bedeviling the health sector and the urgent need to reposition the medical profession and especially the medical doctors and dentists in order to empower them to embark on the arduous task of catalyzing the much needed changes in the healthcare delivery sector, with the overall positive impact on national development.” Dr. Faduyile said.

“The NHS will play host to over 67 speakers and panelists as well as over 700 delegates as at the last count including Medical and Dental professionals from the 36 states, the FCT, Diaspora and other health care practitioners who will be discussing the theme and sub-themes in the form of plenary, panel discussions and parallel sessions with a view to proffering ideas and solutions to the challenges”. The NMA President said.

He also noted that the health summit hopes to address the manner in which doctors attend to patients in hospitals.

“We are now putting a lot of emphasis on our patients. Before we thought Doctors, nurses, Pharmacist other health workers are the king within the health sector. But now we have come to the realization that the patients are the king. Patients are at the centerpiece of healthcare in Nigeria. So, we should be able to work closely together and make sure that we take care of our patients”.He said.

Dr. Faduyile also noted that Nigeria is hosting for the first time the 25th Triennial Delegates Conference of the Commonwealth Medical Association (CMA) with the theme “Fast tracking the attainment of the Universal Health Coverage in the Commonwealth: the place of the CMA social health enterprise.

He said that the highpoint of the CMA conference will be the investiture of Dr Osahon Enabulele as the new President of CMA and he will be the first Nigerian to head the Commonwealth Medical Association.

He noted that the NMA was committed to working with Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to address issues of medical brain drain and other challenges affecting the health sector adding that the association is looking at how to reverse the situation to a brain gain.

Regent Africa Times reports that the National Health Summit which begins today is expected to be declared open by President Muhammadu Buhari, while Gen. Yakubu Gowon (Rtd) would be the Chairman of the opening ceremony while the keynote address will be delivered by Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, while dignitaries expected at the week-long programme include the Minister of Health, United Arab Emirates who would be giving a guest lecture.

Others are the President of Commonwealth Medical Association, Prof. Vajira Dissanyanke, Presidents of medical associations and other dignitaries from the commonwealth countries and Nigerian medical professionals in diaspora.