NAN Archive

Loading

NAN Archive

Tag NMA

  • Mar, Thu, 2020
Defence/Security

Kidnapping: NMA embarks on indefinite strike in C/River

Kidnapping
By George Odok
Calabar, March 12, 2020 (NAN) The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Cross River has embarked on an indefinite strike over the kidnapp of the wife of their colleague, Mrs Christian Ekanem, a staff of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital.

In a communique, jointly signed on Thursday in Calabar, by the Chairman of NMA in Cross River, Dr Agam Ayuk, and the Secretary, Dr Ezoke Epoke, NMA said the victim was kidnapped on Macrh 10 by unknown gunmen.

The Association disclosed that from 2017 to date, no fewer than 15 medical doctors and their dependents have been kidnapped within the state.

Ayuk explained that the decision to embark on the strike followed the position taken by the Association after an Emergency General Meeting held on Jan. 8, 2018.

According to him, the position held that “the NMA in Cross River will henceforth withdraw all medical services without any notice anytime a Doctor or Dependents are taken captive in future”.

He lamented that the perpetrators have struck again, thereby adding untold hardship and emotional distress to the family and the Association.

“The unfortunate incident of the kidnap of the wife of a member of NMA is worrisome. She was kidnapped at her home in Satellite Town in Calabar on Macrh 10, 2020.

“The NMA in Cross River is not unmindful of the impact of the withdrawal of medical services on the good people of Cross River.

“However, we cannot continue to save lives while we are under constant threat by armed bandits and kidnappers.

“NMA in Cross River has proceeded on a total and indefinite withdrawal of medical services in both the private, public and institutional hospitals in the state.

“This include University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Federal Neuro Psychiatry Hospital, General Hospital, Medical Centres, Mission Hospitals and Private Clinics with immediate effects,” he said.

He added that the action would continue until the wife of their colleague, Prof. Emmanuel Ekanem, is released.

He called on the state government and security agencies to expedite action and ensure the unconditional release of all victims currently in the captivity of kidnappers

“The Association hereby call on Gov. Ben Ayade as the Chief Security Officer of the state to ensure the security of lives and properties in the state.

“The Association is also calling on President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police to declare a state of emergency on security in Cross River by mobilising human and material resources to curtail the increasing spate of insecurity within the state,” he said. (NAN)
GNO/ISMA
==========
Edited by Ismail Abdulaziz

Health

Ondo NMA members not scared of treating Lassa fever patients – Chairman

By Segun Giwa

Lassa

Akure, Feb. 9, 2020 (NAN) The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Ondo State says its members are not scared of treating Lassa fever patients in the state.

The state Chairman of NMA, Dr Wale Oke, disclosed this on Sunday in Akure in an interview with newsmen.

Oke said there were insinuations that some medical personnel in the state were scared of treating patients infected with the deadly virus.

According to him, the association is working with relevant agencies to curtail the spread of the disease in the state.

“We are committed to the fight against Lassa fever in Ondo State. We are working with government and technical partners to curb the spread of the disease.

“Our members are not scared of attending to Lassa fever patients. We are fully involved,” he said.

Oke commended the state government for its quick intervention, adding, however, that government could still do more to prevent the spread of the disease.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ondo is one of the states worst hit by the latest outbreak of Lassa fever.

The state had recorded over 200 confirmed cases so far and 21 deaths. (NAN)

GSD/FFP/WAS

Edited by Francisca Oluyole and ‘Wale Sadeeq

 

 

 

Uncategorized

PPP: NMA recommends strong political will, transparency procurement process

PPP: NMA recommends strong political will, transparency procurement process

By Ummul Idris
Partnership
Abuja, Nov. 28, 2019 (NAN) The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) says strong political will, transparent procurement process, public enlightenment, innovativeness and periodic auditing are important success factors necessary for implementing Private Public Partnership (PPP).

Dr Francis Faduyile, the President of the association, made the recommendation in a statement on the Declaration by the NMA from the 2nd National Health Summit on Thursday in Abuja.

He re-affirmed that only political will and transparency procurement process, among others, could help in the implementation of PPP.

The NMA President also advised healthcare professionals to jettison the traditional care pattern where patients and relations contributed minimally to decisions about their care.

He enjoined practitioners to embrace the industry based patient centered care approach where the customer is king.

Faduyile urged the governments at all levels to provide enabling environment for health professionals and right policies which had the potential of reversing medical tourism in the country.

He stated that there was need to recognise the imperativeness of medical and dental practitioners to pay serious attention to the laws and ethics of the medical and dental professions.

He added that this would help in both ways of safeguarding their practices and strengthening healthcare delivery in the country.

He lauded the progress made by NMA to promote inter-professional harmonious relationship within the health sector.

He however urged NMA to sustain on-going bilateral and multilateral avenues in reaching out to all healthcare professional groups to promote harmony and entrench effective multi-disciplinary management for patients.

The NMA president said that the association was committed to address various key challenges confronting the attainment of  Universal Health Coverage in Nigeria such as inadequate health care financing, out-of-pocket expenses for financing health by the majority.

Others are mal-distribution of human and material resources for health, re-structuring-legally and administratively of the National Health Insurance Scheme and revitalisation of the primary health care as the port of entry into our healthcare system.

Faduyile said there was need to work towards the full implementation of the National Health Act (2014) by all stake holders, adding that it is the solution to revamp healthcare system in the country. (NAN)
UMD/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Uncategorized

NMA to support extension of healthcare delivery services

NMA to support extension of healthcare delivery

By Ummul Idris
Healthcare
Abuja, Nov. 7. 2019(NAN) The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has pledged to support the extension of quality healthcare services across the country.
Dr Ekpe Phillips, the Chairman, FCT NMA, said this while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NMA) on Thursday in Abuja.
He said that the NMA would ensure creative strategies to support the fulfilment of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the country, adding that this will be done in collaboration with stakeholders.
Phillips also underscored the importance NMA attached to diagnosis and treatment of patients.
He stated that patient centred care has been benchmarked as recommended approach in contemporary practice which prioritised and aligned with clinical decisions that focused on patients best interests by healthcare practitioners.
“We recommit the Federal Government towards the attainment of UHC starting from his presidential assent to the legislative amendment of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHlS).
“NHIS was intended to extend health insurance to cover all Nigerians either in formal or informal sector as well as help cascading to sub-national governments,’’ he said.
The NMA chairman advised government to prioritise community health insurance across all the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
Phillips listed other key factors in the NHIS as public private partnership for healthcare delivery, improving Nigeria health outcome and indices, reversing outbound medical tourism abroad.
Others are celebrating brain gain and reducing brain drain, enhancing inter-professional and harmonious relationship in health sector.
He said that there was need to interrogate logically some of the recurring challenges bedevilling Nigeria’s healthcare sector in order to proffer innovative workable proposals to address them. (NAN)
UMD/EAL/MST
Edited Ladejobi Ekemini/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NMA calls for mandatory enrolment into NHIS

NMA calls for mandatory enrollment into NHIS

By Ummul Idris
NHIS
Abuja, Oct. 16, 2019 (NAN) The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has called for mandatory enrolment of formal and informal sectors into the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).

Dr Ekpe Uche, the Chairman, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chairman, made the appeal at the 2019 Physicians’ Week of the association on Wednesday in Abuja.

The theme of the 2019 Physicians’ week is: “Care of the unknown patient: An overview”.

The call came against the backdrop of the need for Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the challenges facing healthcare delivery in the country.

He said that the topic for the 2019 became imperative because it bothered on the care of those who might not had the means at the time of illness or incapacitation.

According to him, this can be anybody and we have seen firsthand how the management of these patients can be unattractive.

He said that their enrolment should be the indicator that would access the country it was heading towards UHC.

“This is very important; think about a road traffic accident where an unidentified patient is managed without cost,” he said.

The Obstetrician Gynecologist said that the care of the unknown patients was multi-sectoral as well as multidisciplinary.

Dr Ezeichila Joseph, the Chairman, Local Organising Committee of the event, said that the 2019 physicians’ week provided the association another opportunity to review its practice.

He added that it also provided the privileged to update themselves as well as interact with each other and the rest of the world.

He stated that this was aimed at service delivery to the patients and giving back to the society.

According to him, doctors and other health givers are facing an ever more ethical challenge in the course of caring for patients.

These challenges, according to him, include questions on who should make medical treatment decisions for patients unable to speak for themselves.

“And who are unknown and unknowable to the hospital staff and take care of their medical expenses,” he said.

He stated that after the initial medical emergency had passed, medical treatment decisions must be made that could either prolong or curtail a life, noting that who should make those decisions and they should be make. (NAN)
UMD/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Kwara NMA demands decriminalisation of suicide

Kwara NMA demands decriminalisation of suicide

By Bushrah Yusuf-Badmus
Suicide
Ilorin, Oct. 14, 2019 (NAN) The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has called on the Federal Government to decriminalise suicide in the country.
The Deputy Chairman, Kwara NMA, Prof. Baba Issa, made the appeal at a news conference on Monday in Ilorin.
He said that anyone who attempted suicide obviously needed help, which was not gotten.
Issa was speaking in commemoration of the 2019 Physician’s week holding from Oct. 12 to Oct. 19.
The theme of this year’s celebration is “Care of the Unknown Patient: Policy Overview and Review”.
The event has other sub-themes like: “Curbing the Increasing Trend of Suicide in Nigeria: The Role of the NMA’’ and “The Doctor as an Entrepreneur”.
Issa noted that suicide was now the second leading cause of death among those in the age bracket of between 15 and 29 years with many unreported cases.
“And too bad, people are being jailed in Nigeria for attempting suicide.
“Any person who attempted suicide in the first place needed urgent help and would probably not have resulted to suicide if help was gotten.
“Also, government should regulate the distribution and availability of organophosphate chemicals that have recently become a cheap means of committing suicide,” Issa said.
He however said that parents and the media also have roles to play in curbing the increased trend.
“Responsible reportage of suicide is important to avoid copycat suicide as media should avoid sensationalising cases of suicide.
“The media should avoid details of methods and location and emphasising the negative consequences and impact on people left behind.
“And for the parents, they should avoid stigmatisation of suicide, instead encourage people to always seek help and support.
“Let us sacrifice time to know more about our children and wards, and learn to know their strength and weaknesses.
“We should also teach them self esteem and vocation, and always take helpful cues from their non-verbal communication,” Issa said.
He further said that a person contemplating suicide should never be left alone at any point in time as the next few seconds without help might be too late.
Issa said there were organisations that help persons contemplating suicide with the following help lines: 09080217555, 09034400009, 08111909909, 07013811143, and Hausa – 08142241007.
Issa also listed Kwara State Health line challenges as 07062961307, 07030659980, 08033559293, 08035307683, 08165353198, 07032589606, 08034340230 and 08037211707.
The NMA deputy chairman said that other activities to mark the week were scientific sessions on Oct. 15, Visit to Olomu of Omu-Aran on Oct. 16, Breast cancer screening on Oct. 17, Jumaat Service on Oct. 18 and Young Doctors’ Engagement on Oct. 19. (NAN)
BAY/ECN/MST
Edited by Emmanuel Nwoye/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NMA condemns police harassment of members

Caption: FCT NMA Chairman, Dr Ekpe Philips

NMA condemns police harassment of members
By Ummul Idris
Harassment
Abuja, May 21, 2019 (NAN) The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has condemned alleged harassment and intimidation of its members by security agents in parts of the country.
The Chairman, FCT chapter of the association, Dr Ekpe Phillips, decried the manhandling of medical doctors in the FCT, including Dr Daniel Eitokpha.
Phillips told a news conference on Tuesday in Abuja that the attack on doctors by the police was becoming a recurring decimal.
He berated the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) conduct towards Eitokpha, describing the attack on his person as unfortunate and unprofessional.
“The attack was dehumanising and intimidation of NMA FCT member,’’ he said.
It would be recalled that Eitokpah was detained for attempting to rescue and perform Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) on a suicide victim who hung himself at Sunnyvale Estate, Lokogoma District Abuja.
The chairman said that Eitokpah was immediately held as a suspect thereby causing so much damage on his image, moral and professional status as medical doctor.
“This is indeed worrisome and indicates what some innocent Nigerians pass through every day in the hands of the law enforcement agents.”
According to him, Eitokpah graduated from Ternopil State Medical School, Ukraine, in 2016 and returned to Nigeria as a Brain gain to serve his country only to experience this harsh and hostile treatment from those who are supposed to protect him.
“When the team of Police arrived the scene, Eitokpah identified himself as a medical doctor, a youth corps member and explained the situation he met on ground to the police, expecting commendation.
“He was rather rebuked, arrested and immediately termed a suspect after being addressed in a demeaning manner, this is indeed really unfortunate,” he said.
Phillips said that this was one of the many harassment NMA members passed through in the course of discharging their duties as professionals.
He called on the police management to call its personnel to order and put an end to the incessant harassment and criminalisation of doctor not only in FCT but in Nigeria at large.
He stated that Eitokpah now feels afraid and insecure in his country because of the behaviour of the Police who treated him as a suspected murderer instead of protecting him after detailed identification, explanation and confirmation by other witnesses.
Phillips said that the unfortunate situation had pushed Eitokpah to begin to reconsider leaving the country again.
But for the CCTV footage, Eitokpah would have still being in detention and perhaps would have been sentenced to death for trying to save the life of a neighbour, a Nigerian.
The CCTV footage actually revealed that the RCCG gospel artist succeeded in committing suicide solely for over four hours.
According to him, it is unfortunate that those who drew the attention of the public and put an emergency call to the police were also arrested, intimidated and harassed.
“It appears that if you see an emergency situation that requires urgent attention, one should quietly walk away,’’ the chairman said.
The association however demanded for public apology to Dr Eitokpah, his family and NMA-FCT.
He advised the police to stop further harassment and intimidation of medical doctors and other health professionals on duty.
The chairman also urged that medical doctors should be allowed to carry out their legitimate duties without unnecessary delays on Nigerian roads.
Phillips also demanded that the police force should issue clear instructions to the police that they should excise cautious and stop the act of intimidation and harassment of innocent Nigerians without proper investigation.
“ The police need the doctors and the doctors need the police, we should work together,’’ he appealed. (NAN)
UMD/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NMA urges security for health workers

NMA urges security for health workers
By Ummul Idris
Insecurity
Abuja, May 16, 2019 (NAN) The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has called for improved security and protection of health workers in the country.
Dr Francis Faduyile, the President of the association, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
Faduyile expressed dismay with the failure of both the Federal and State Governments to effectively check security lapses and incidences of kidnapping and armed robbery.
Other security lapses, he said, included cattle rustling, banditry and killing of innocent Nigerians by gunmen in the country.
The NMA president stated that health workers were being targeted in many of the areas targeted by the criminals.
“Many of them are kidnapped during the discharge of their duties, while some of them get killed by gunmen,’’ he said.
He, however, called on health workers to pay attention to their personal security in view of the security challenges in the country.
Faduyile also called on governments at all levels and security agencies to urgently up their game and stem the tide of insecurity in the country.

Faduyile called on President Muhammadu Buhari to see his re-election as another opportunity to address the various security challenges confronting the country.
According to him, the president should also address the issue of poor health indices, unacceptable high unemployment rate, hunger and starvation in the land. (NAN)
UMD/MAS/MST
Edited by Moses Solanke/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

NMA wants end to random implementation of residency training Act

NMA wants end to random implementation of residency training Act
By Ummul Idris
Training
Abuja, May 9, 2019 (NAN) The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has called for end to it described as random implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act by the Federal Ministry of Health.
The association made the appeal in a communiqué jointly signed by Dr Frances Faduyile and Dr Olumuyiwa Odusote, the President and Secretary-General, respectively, at the end of its 59 annual general conference on Thursday in Abuja.
The association called on the Federal Government to fully implement the medical residency training act in all its institutions across the country.
NMA also said that the collective bargaining agreement of 2009 between the federal government and NMA was yet to be reviewed after 10 years.
NMA said that this was despite repeated efforts made by the association to the federal government to review such bargain in the interest of members.
It, however, directed the NOC to immediately write a powerful letter to the federal government on the need to commence the review of collective bargaining agreement.
The association noted that failure to commence the review would force NMA to declare an industrial dispute with the federal government.
The communiqué also condemned the non-implementation of CONMESS circular for the payment of medical allowances accrued to all medically qualified doctors in the employment of Nigeria universities.
It said that the career progression of doctors in some university of health service in Nigeria was not conforming to the career progression as contained in the federal Scheme of Service.
The association called on the Nigerian University Commission to direct all the Vice-Chancellors to immediately adopt revised CONMESS circular for the payment of all allowances for doctors in the employment of the universities. (NAN)
UMD/AAB/MST
Edited By Adeboye Ajayi/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

General news

NMA makes case for interest-free loan to curtail brain drain

NMA makes case for interest-free loan to curtail brain drain
By Ummul Idris
Loan
Abuja, Feb. 15, 2019 (NAN) The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has called for interest-free loan for its members to import duty-free hospital equipment, boost the health sector and curtail the menace of brain drain in the country.
Dr Ekpe Phillips, the Chairman, NMA FCT chapter, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja.
He said that the Indian government saw a need to address the scourge and quickly offered her medical practitioners free interest loan to import technological driven equipment.
“Let me tell you what India did, India encouraged all the brain drained as many as possible to come back to India and gave them interest free loans.
“So they imported technology medical show knowledge in India and today India is benefiting from medical tourists. India makes billions of dollars on yearly basis from medical tourism,’’ Phillips said.
He said that Nigeria was one of the victims of such move, adding that Nigeria lost over 1 million dollars a year per medical tourist which is more than the health budget for Nigeria.
According to him, 1 million dollar converted to Naira is N360 billion, which is more than the budget for health in Nigeria, saying it is very unfortunate.
He called on the government to encourage anything health that would make Nigerians healthy, adding that a free interest loan for medical practitioners will be a way to revamp the health sector.
“Because one truth is this, even if you travel abroad to access treatment, you are also faced with the problem of having to be travelling always for follow up.
According to him, it is not an easy thing to manage a patient; the government must provide the enabling environment. (NAN)
UMD/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola