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  • 40,000 of 75,000 registered Nigerian doctors practising abroad-NMA

    40,000 of 75,000 registered Nigerian doctors practising abroad-NMA

    The Nigerian Medical Association, Lagos State Chapter, on Thursday said exodus of  doctors from Nigeria had reached an alarming proportion, and called for improved health sector funding to discourage it.

    The Chairman the chapter, Dr Olumuyiwa Odusote, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that more than 40,000 of the 75,000 registered Nigerian doctors, were practising abroad while 70 per cent in the country were thinking of picking  jobs outside.

    “The health crisis in Nigeria is unprecedented as the mass exodus hits an alarming proportion.

    “ Already, it takes a new patient two to three hours to see a doctor.

    “Over 100 doctors have resigned from the University College Hospital, Ibadan, this year; about 800 doctors resigned from Lagos State hospitals in the last two years, and over 50 in November alone.

    “Kebbi State has been unable to employ a single doctor in two years despite multiple adverts for employment; over 200 doctors and nurses have resigned from Ladoke Akintola Teaching Hospital this year.

    “Seventy per cent of Nigerian doctors are making plans to leave for foreign lands and are taking exams to that effect, “ he said.

    The chairman said that 236 doctors wrote primaries for West Africa College of Physicians in 2017 to gain admission into Nigerian teaching hospitals.

    He said that in 2012, more than 1,000 doctors had written the same exams and 660 of them had written the Professional and Linguistic Assessment Board Examination (PLAB) to practise in the UK over those primaries.

    “Our healthcare system has been neglected for an extended period, evidenced by lack of funding, under supply, inefficiency, decrepit equipment, poor quality, needless deaths and unhappy workforce.

    “Today, many of the country’s general hospitals, with the exception of those in Lagos, are not in good condition and are breeding grounds for infectious diseases.

    “Many also do not have sufficient beds; so, corridors are turned to sleeping wards,” he said.

    He told NAN that there was the need for increased number of public health centres fully equipped with adequate drugs and modern facilities and manned by specialists.

    Odusote said that fatigued and overworked doctors had committed errors.

    “The nation needs 303,333 medical doctors now and 10,605 new doctors annually to provide good quality patient care.’’

    According to him, providing better facilities and work environment, higher remuneration, career progression, professional advancement and better quality of life would guarantee good quality healthcare.

    The chairman said that allocation to health in the proposed 2018 Budget should have been more than 3.9 per cent.

    He said that the 3.9 per cent allocated to the health sector was less than the WHO-recommended 15 per cent.

    “NMA will nonetheless, continue with advocacy for improved healthcare financing through universal health coverage and full implementation of the National Health Act, 2014, “ he said.

    NAN reports that the Federal Government allocated N340.45 billion to health in the 2018 Budget proposal of N8.612 trillion.  (NAN)

  • Insurgency, communal crisis hindering immunization in Nigeria, says NMA

    Insurgency, communal crisis hindering immunization in Nigeria, says NMA

    The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), says insurgency and communal crisis among other factors are the main hindrances against adequate immunization coverage in the country.

    Vice Chairman of NMA in Cross River State, Dr Agam Ayuk, told reporters in Calabar during the opening of the 2017 Physician’s Week that immunization coverage in Nigeria was declining due to insurgency and recorded cases of communal crisis.

    The event had as its theme, “Declining Immunization Coverage, Threat to National Security and Development: The Way Forward’’.

    Ayuk, who is also the Chairman of the Physician’s Week, said riverine and other hard-to-reach areas communities were also hindering the holistic coverage of immunization in the country.

    He said that it was time for the state and federal government to take bold steps in restoring peace and security in all nook and crannies of the country, to protect the lives of health workers in areas of crisis.

    He worried that about 70 percent of immunization sponsorship comes from development partners, which is also on the decline, adding that it was important for government at all levels to adequately fund the health system.

    The Director General of Cross River Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Betta Edu, said the state has over 464 hard-to-reach communities in the state.

    Edu said that with 959 health facilities across the state, it has become very difficult to access the 464 hard-to-reach communities either by land or sea for immunization coverage.

    “Our immunization programme in the state is geared towards reduction of childhood morbidity and mortality through adequate immunisation coverage of all risk populations’’, she said.

    The keynote Speaker, Dr Bassey Ikpeme, Chief Consultant, Community Medicine, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, advised government at levels to recruit more doctors and nurses into the health sector.

    Ikpeme, urged governments all levels, to invest greatly on the development of primary healthcare centres across the country.

  • Osun doctors embark on 7-day warning strike

    Osun doctors embark on 7-day warning strike

    The Osun State Chapter of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) on Monday ordered its members working with state government to proceed on 7-day warning strike over unpaid salary arrears and poor working condition.

    The NMA Chairman in the state, Dr Tokunbo Olajumoke, gave the directive after an emergency general meeting of the association in Osogbo.

    Olajumoke said the 7-day warning strike was coming after the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum issued to the state government by the association to meet its demands.

    “The 7-day warning strike is to commence immediately because the 21-day ultimatum issued to the state government to look into the pending issues raised by the doctors has expired.

    “Within that 7-day, there will not be any form of clinical activities in all the state- owned hospitals and no doctor is allowed to treat any patient for that seven days.”

    Olajumoke said that the 7-day warning strike was to allow the state government to  engage the doctors in a dialogue  to look into their demands.

    Other grievances of the doctors are non-payment of CONMESS salary scale, over taxation, mutilated and outstanding salaries of doctors, among others.

    Reacting to the strike notice, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr Rafiu lsamotu, appealed to the doctors to be patient with the state government, saying  their requests were being looked into.

    Isamotu said the government was committed to providing quality healthcare to the masses as well as ensuring that doctors got the best from the government.

  • Doctors gear towards suspending strike

    Doctors gear towards suspending strike

    The National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD) has accepted to present outcome of re-negotiated Memorandum of Terms of Settlement (MTS) reached with Federal Government to members on Sept. 8.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the new MTS was reached at the end of the meeting between federal delegate and the Executives of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), and NARD.

    Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment had led the Federal Government delegation.

    NAN reports that representatives of Ministry of Health, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, and Office of the Accountant General of the Federation attended the meeting.

    Also in attendance were representatives of Budget Office of the Federation and National Salaries, as well as Income and Wages Commission.

    Speaking to newsmen after the session, Ngige said the meeting resolved that executive of NARD should present the outcome of the re-negotiated MTS to its members at an emergency session on Sept.8

    “This is with a view to suspending the strike once there is evidence of payment of the Mandate to the affected Institutions as presented at the meeting.

    “No member of NARD will be victimised as a result of this strike if suspended.

    “This reconciliation meeting is, however, adjourned to re-convene on Nov. 2,’’ he said.

    On the issue of salary shortfalls, Ngige said the meeting resolved that payment would be made directly to the affected Federal Tertiary Health Institutions for Doctors and Staff that had been verified.

    The minister also said the meeting agreed with NARD’s demand for a 100 per cent payment of salaries to its members.

    He said the meeting also observed that the shortfalls were basically experienced by those who were not on the IPPIS platform termed “Non Regular Allowances/Payments”.

    “In this regard, it is expected that the 100 per cent payment will be implemented as from October,’’ he said.

    He, however, said the meeting also agreed that all Resident Doctors should be captured on IPPIS platform by the end of October.

    He also said the Federal Government would appeal to State Governments and Organisations that owe salary shortfalls/emoluments to Health workers to make genuine efforts to liquidate them.

    Ngige said this was in the spirit of revamping the Health Care System in the country.

  • NMA, resident doctors differ over strike

    THE parent body of medical doctors, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), is not happy with the ongoing strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), it was learnt yesterday.

    According to a report  by the News agency of Nigeria (NAN), a misunderstanding is already brewing between the leadership of the NMA and the NARD over the “unauthorised industrial action”.

    It was gathered that a meeting has been fixed between the executives of the two bodies to resolve the issue.

    Resident doctors are postgraduate doctors attached to specialist centres such as teaching and general hospitals with a view to becoming consultants in specific fields after training under consultants. They constitute most of the doctors on ground in public hospitals. They are often called trainee doctors or doctors-in-training.

    The resident doctors on Monday declred an  indefinite strike to press home their demands. They want the payment of salary arrears, resolution of stagnated promotion and halt to alleged diversion of funds meant for them by chief medical directors (CMDs).

    But yesterday, some hospitals joined the strike as others shunned it.

    The Lagos University Hospital (LUTH) had some of the resident doctors attending to patients. But the situation was different at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, where there was full compliance with the industrial action.

    The hospital’s President of the Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Ige Olajide, said his colleagues were angry and had refused to go contrary to the directives of the national body.

    At other government hospitals, activities were normal, as consultant doctors were treating patients. The management of the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) yesterday promised uninterrupted medical services despite the strike.

    The Head, Corporate Affairs Unit of the hospital, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Omojasola said at an emergency meeting presided over by the Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. Abdulwaheed Olatinwo, the management lamented the recurrence of the strike by the doctors.

    Underlining the importance of the ‘Hippocratic Oath’ to all categories of doctors at their induction ceremony, the UITH management said it would ensure quality services to the hospital’s patients “as if there was no strike”.

    Many relatives of the patients at UITH interviewed expressed ignorance of the strike.

    Resident doctors at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, Ogun State yesterday declared that they had joined the strike.

    The President of ARD in the hospital, Dr. Taiwo Babajide, said: “The level of complaint with the directive of NARD here is 100 per cent and we have decided to stay in line with our parent body.”

    At the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Asaba, State General Hospital, Okwe, Asaba, including the Delta State University Teaching Hospital (DELSUTH), medical services were yesterday grounded despite efforts by their managements to save the situation. Patients were seen moving round the hospitals’ premises with little or no attention from the doctors.

    Although the hospitals’ managements attributed the situation to the fresh resumption from Sallah holidays, the Delta State President of NARD, Dr. Uwugiaren Nosakhare, said the national body of the association directed them to proceed on an indefinite strike.

    Chief Medical Director of LUTH Prof. Chris Bode yesterday appealed to NARD and the Federal Government to consider the health of patients and reach a compromise.

    The strike is already taking its toll on the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan as scores of patients were turned back.

    Except cases that were not critical, all other patients  were asked to access medical treatment elsewhere.

    The General Out Patient Department (GOP), where fresh cases were admitted into the hospital,  was virtually empty as patients were advised to seek medical help in other health facilities.

    Patients with critical ailment were worst hit with the deaths of unspecified number of them.

    However, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the teaching hospital, Professor Temitope Alonge, said the management is on top of the situation, with some of the management staff and nurses handling a few of the patients.

  • FG, striking doctors meet Wednesday

    FG, striking doctors meet Wednesday

    The Federal Government is expected to meet with leadership of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Wednesday to resolve the ongoing industrial action by the doctors.

    A statement signed by the Deputy Director, Press in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Samuel Olowookere, said the leadership of the striking doctors, the leadership of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and officials of the Federal Ministry of Health are expected to be part of the meeting scheduled for 12:30 p.m. at the conference hall of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.

    The doctors had on Monday embarked on an indefinite strike to press home their demands few days after signing a memorandum of understanding with the government after a meeting which lasted over 12 hours.

    The statement said: “Towards apprehending the strike action embarked upon by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), after reaching an agreement with the Federal Government on issues in dispute, the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, is scheduled to hold a crucial conciliatory meeting with the President and Executive of NARD, President and Executive of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), officials of the Federal Ministry of Health led by the Minister, Prof. Isaac Adewole and other stakeholders.”

     

  • Kogi NMA rejects 50% salary payment

    Kogi NMA rejects 50% salary payment

    The Nigerian Medical Association ( NMA ) in Kogi on Thursday rejected the payment of 50 per cent salary to her members by the State Government.
    Th state Chairman of NMA, Dr Godwin Tijani, in a statement in Lokoja, expressed displeasure with the payment of half salary to her members and therefore outrightly rejected it.
    According to him, NMA was not invited to the meeting held between the State Government and labour leaders where it was purportedly agreed that 50 per cent would be paid to workers.
    “We only saw the news in the media this morning but we initially denied it as untrue, but now many of our members have gotten alert confirming the payment of half of their salaries.
    “Kogi doctors are not happy with that decision, and as a noble and an understanding association, we expected the government to notify us of this shortfalls and not be taken by surprise.
    “We learnt that those working in tertiary institutions are being paid full salary while those with the Ministry and Hospital Management Board (HMB) are getting half salary.
    “NMA express displeasure with that level of discrimination,” Tijani said.
    He, however, appealed to all members to remain calm and not be discouraged by such discrimination, urging them to go about their normal activities.
    “We are working hard to ensure this abnormal cut in their salaries are corrected,” said the chairman.

  • NMA to Buhari: Equip Nigerian hospitals like UK’s before 2019

    NMA to Buhari: Equip Nigerian hospitals like UK’s before 2019

    The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has risen from its August 2017 National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, asking President Muhammadu Buhari to replicate medical equipment he had seen in London, United Kingdom in Nigerian hospitals before the end of his tenure.

    The umbrella body of medical practitioners in the country said Doctors in the country would have been able to handle the President’s health challenge if the health sector had been properly equipped and funded.

    NMA in its communique issued and jointly signed by its National President and Secretary General, Professor Mike Ozovehe Ogirima and Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununu respectively after their just concluded National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Kaduna said it has “resolved to call on the President to utilize his positive experience in the health systems of other climes to impact on the health care system in Nigeria.”

    Reading the communiqué to newsmen Professor Ogirima said, Nigerian doctors are competent to handle any form of ailment if enabling environment and good working tools are on ground, adding that the President may have sought for medical attention outside the shores of this country perhaps as a result of ill-equipped hospitals in the country.

    According to him, “the nature of the President’s ailment is not known to NMA, and even if it is known to us, we have to respect our oath of secrecy. The President like every other citizen of this country has the right to seek second opinion, that is part of medical practice. However, the Doctors in Nigeria are capable of handling any ailment if optimal working conditions are provided.

    “We have read and heard on BBC that, the President does not believe in the Nigerian health system. What was wrong by the President going outside? It is a fact that our hospitals are not optimally equipped. Am sure that, the President after spending 100 days in London has first hand experience of what we have been shouting, equip! Equip! Upgrade our hospitals.

    “We are happy that the President is back. Based on his experience, we are saying he should come and replicate what he has seen in London, at least to take care of the masses. So, we expect him to replicate such within the next two years.”
    According to the communique, “the NEC observed with dismay the continuous low budgetary allocation to health leading to declining health care service delivery in the country.

    “The the NEC observed with dismay the worsening availability, distribution, development and utilization of human resources for health within Nigeria’s health system and the increasing trend of brain drain especially affecting the already weakened man power base in the country.

    “NEC calls on government to implement the Abuja Declaration of at least 15 percent budgetary allocation to health and ensure timely release of funds with effect from 2018 budget and appealed to the National Assembly to fast track the passage of the bill on Residency Training Program (RTP) in Nigeria.

    “NEC calls for the improvement in Epidemic control, preparedness and establishment of more Infectious Disease Hospitals (IDH) through out the country, and that the government to intensify efforts to improve funding on immunization services and further strengthen the collaboration between government and non governmental agencies,” NMA stated.

  • NMA decries exodus of doctors from Ekiti

    NMA decries exodus of doctors from Ekiti

    The Ekiti State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has decried exodus of medical consultants and specialists from government hospitals.

    The body noted that the development began with non-payment of relevant allowances to newly-employed consultants and “gross underpayment” of the previously employed consultants.

    In a communique issued at the end of its annual general meeting (AGM)/scientific conference in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, NMA State Chairman Sunday Omoya, urged the state government to revent the collapse of specialist care in secondary health facilities.

    The theme of the conference was: Stemming the Tide of Infrastructural Decadence and Brain Drain in the Nation, with a sub-theme: Taming the Surge of Sudden Cardiac Deaths in the Nation.

    Omoya said the payment of 72 per cent of doctors’ salaries in the local government system was a source of concern to the association.

    To address the situation, the chairman said NMA mandated its executives to “use every means possible to ensure the payment of relevant allowances to consultants and specialists in the employ of the State Hospitals Management Board”.

    He added that the association would intensify negotiation within the Local Government Service Commission and the Primary Health Care Development Agency to ensure that appropriate salary is paid to doctors in the local government system.

  • Ogun leads in quackery, says NMA

    THE Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) in  Ogun State has said the  state has the highest number of  quacks in  the country.

    Chairman of the  association in the state Dr Abayomi Olajide spoke yesterday at the group’s  Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference in Abeokuta.

    The conference theme is: “Anti-quackery: A  seemingly unending battle.’’

    Heregretted that despite   rigorous campaigns  against quackery,  the scourge continue  to plague the profession.

    According to him,  some  members are equally guilty of engaging quacks.

    “The war started in Lagos where many facilities were shut down and people started moving toward  Ogun State.

    “Perhaps, we (Ogun) should be ranked highest nationally as the state that habours quacks. Maybe, it is because of our proximity to Lagos.

    “From what we have seen, there is a lot of them that are thriving within the society,” he said.

    Olajide advocated a task force to shut down illegal health facilities.

    He called for a collaboration of stakeholders to stamp out “quacks and charlatans.’’

    The forum, he said, was to  sentisitise the public and ”remind our colleagues of how to manage their territory so that we can actually stamp out quacks in the profession.’’

    In his address, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Theophilus Ogunlesi, said the war against quacks ought to have been won a long time ago.

    He  said governments and stakeholders, however,  did not approach it with serious intent.

    Ogunlesi, who was represented by Dr Olusegun Feyisetan, called for  a radical approach by ensuring “critical reappraisal and screening of NMA members to battle quacks.’’

    Dr Adegboyega Ogunwale, a Consultant Psychiatrist at the Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, in his lecture,  blamed the resurgence of quacks on poor licence strategy, ignorance, poverty, illiteracy, lack of monitoring team and poor facilities.

    Ogunwale said prompt resolution of industrial disputes  and adequate investment in the health sector as well as diligent prosecution of offenders would help in stamping out quackery.

    Dr Rotimi Ogungbe, a consultant on Health to Ogun, assured doctors of government’s commitment to the fight against quackery.

    He, however, challenged the association to “name and shame” quacks among its members  and ensure that doctors improve quality of  service delivery.