Tag Archives: NMA

NMA suspends 12 doctors for alleged indiscipline

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The Nigerian Medical Association has suspended twelve of its members for professional misconduct in flaunting its constitutional provisions that prohibit members from taking to the court rather than explore internal mechanisms for dispute resolution.

The National President of the Association, Prof. Mike Ozovehe Ogirima, who made the disclosure while reading the communiqué issued at the end of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Lokoja, Kogi State, said affected the members have the liberty to appeal their suspension internally.

Ogirima: “We suspend our members based on constitutional provisions. We have internal mechanisms for disciplining ourselves and if any member has not explored all avenues to resolve issues and jumped to the court of law the constitution stipulates their suspension so that they have more time to prosecute and follow up their cases that is the provision we have just evoked on them.

“This is not the first time NMA is taking that measure. However they have an opportunity for an appeal internally to the Annual Delegate Meeting if they are not satisfied with the action taken by NEC.”

Those suspended indefinitely include: Dr. Moses Oriasotie from Edo; Dr. Amoti Earnest (Edo); Dr. Atiola Olayinka (Lagos State); Dr. Adegbaju Dapo (Lagos State); Dr. Olubinmi Omojowolo (Lagos State); Dr. Alabi Babatunde Musbau (Lagos State); and Dr. Sekunmade Alade Abeni (Lagos State).

Others are: Dr. Uwaje Kenneth Nnamoi (Lagos State); Dr. Abiloye Kemi (Lagos State); Dr. Ayodeji Olaniyi; and Dr. Balogun Babatunde all from Lagos State.

The President also declared the position of NEC on the immediate past chairman of Lagos State/Zone of NMA who has been sent to the NMA national disciplinary committee.

“NEC also authorises the President and any other aggrieved members to seek redress with the MDCN who should look urgently into cases of professional misconducts that is very rampant in the profession in accordance with the code of medical ethics.”

According to him, the NMA while seeking legal redress along with her partners in the court of law it calls for the immediate operation alizarin of the National Health Act 2014 (NHAct 2014).

Ogirima explained that NHAct 2014 is a law of the land for which 10 years before it was enacted was a bill sponsored by members of the Association and health workers were called to contribute to it at an open hearing.

“The Act seeks to redress most of the problems we are having in the health sector pertaining to the availability of infrastructure, the care for emergencies on our roads, the care for the under privileged in our society; the aged, infants below five years, pregnant mothers and accident victims on our roads.”

“There is a provision in that act that says that at least one per cent of consolidated revenue of our country should be set aside as basic health fund.”

For postgraduate medical training to succeed in achieving better health outcomes for citizens, the President urged government to accord the training top priority.

He called for increased funding of medical postgraduate training and support for the ongoing effort by the House of Representatives to amend the Act establishing Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) to include tertiary health institutions involved in training and research among the beneficiaries of the fund.

Poverty Contributes to Ill Health – Lagos NMA Chair

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The Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association has said that there was the need to address the issue of poverty to reduce the burden of ill health in the country.

The association said that poverty contributed to ill health which in turn aggravated and extended the poverty, thereby having adverse effects on the country’s health indices.

Dr Olubunmi Omojowolo, the Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the NMA, made the assertion at a news conference to mark the 2016 Annual Physicians Week at the state NMA Secretariat, Lagos.

The theme for this year’s programme is: “Healthcare in a Frail Economy: Challenges and Way Forward.”

Omojowolo said: “This topic is very important, given the present economic downturn being experienced by our dear nation.

“The World Bank recognises the relationship between economic development and health.

“It also recognises that the poor health indices in most developing countries are as a result of entrapment in a vicious circle of unrelieved poverty.

“As we all know, the health of a nation is her wealth.

“Therefore, for our economy to recover and become more vibrant, we need to pay more attention to the health of the population and of course the health sector.”

On the goals and challenges of effective healthcare delivery, Omojowolo said: “The goals of effective healthcare delivery are to prevent human diseases, injury and disability.

“As well as protect people from environmental health hazards.

“Effective healthcare delivery should also be able to promote behaviours that lead to good physical and mental health, educate the public about health and assure the availability of high-quality health services.

“Unfortunately, achieving such lofty objectives has been extremely difficult in Nigeria as a result of a lot of challenges facing our health sector.”

According to Omojowolo, some of the challenges include poor facilities, dwindling human resource capacity, intra-professional rivalry, inequalities in healthcare access and cultural barriers.

Omojowolo said: “In a dwindling economy like ours, these challenges are bound to become more compounded and as such, a major concern due to pre-existing poor social and health indices in Nigeria.”

He said that to improve on the poor health indices, healthcare policies must be inclusive of all socio-economic strata.

He said: “There must be universal basic healthcare coverage and provision of health insurance to Nigerians, especially rural community dwellers.

“We must pay close attention to individuals with disabilities by having a comprehensive reform, while mental health issue must be on the front burner of our priorities.”

Omojowolo urged the Federal Government to increase the country’s health budget to approach the 15 per cent as recommended by the World health Organisation.

He also said that the issue of inter-and intra- professional rivalry and incessant industrial action in the health sector should be addressed and resolved in a holistic manner.

On the leadership crisis within the Lagos NMA, he said it was under control.

He said: “Justice Candide-Johnson granted an order restraining any other person or group other than the Omojowolo-led executives of Lagos NMA from parading themselves as officers of the association.

“This is in an originating summons with Suit No. ID/1322GCMW/2016, at the Lagos High court on September 29.”

Ekiti NMA Buries Three More Doctors, Driver Amidst Tears

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Emotion ran high on Thursday during the commendation/funeral service for three more medical doctors from Ekiti State and their driver at the Nigerian Medical Association’s secretariat on Ado-Iyin road.

The four were among six doctors and a driver that died on Sunday along Abuja-Kaduna Expressway on their way to the Annual Delegates Meeting of the NMA in Sokoto.

Those given the last honour were the late Dr. Atolani Adeniyi, Senior Health Officer with the Ekiti Hospitals Management Board; the late Dr. J.B. Ogunseye, who served as Senior Dental Officer at the General Hospital, Ifaki; the late Dr. Olayiwola Olajide who until his death was the President of the Association of Resident Doctors, Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, and a driver of the NMA, Mr. Olowookere Ajibola.

Ogunseye and Olajide were buried at the premises of the NMA secretariat while the remains of Adeniyi and Olowookere were conveyed to their communities for interment.

The remains of two other victims, the late Dr. Alexander Akinyele, who was a Resident Doctor, Community Medicine, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, and the late Dr. O.J. Taiwo, a consultant, Anatomic Pathologist at EKSUTH, will be buried at a later date.

A consultant General Surgeon at FETHI, the late Dr. Tunde Aladesanmi, had been buried on Wednesday after a funeral service held in his honour at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Life Fountain Cathedral, Ado Ekiti.

It was learnt that Taiwo’s burial was delayed because he died barely 24hrs after the death of his mother.

The state Deputy Governor, Dr. Kolapo Olusola, represented Governor Ayodele Fayose at the event which was also attended by the House of Assembly Speaker, Kola Oluwawole; the Head of Service, Dr. Gbenga Faseluka; Chief of Staff, Dipo Anisulowo, and other top government officials.

The House Committee Chairman, Dr. Samuel Omotosho, said the governor had given approval for automatic employment of the wives of Akinyele and Olajide.

Emotion heightened during the dust to dust rite when Ogunseye’s wife, Omolara, who had been crying all day started shouting “don’t go, don’t go.”

Olajide’s wife also insisted that the casket be opened for him to see the face of her late husband. “That’s him, that’s him,” she shouted breaking down in tears again.

Pastor Olurotimi Sanya, in a sermon entitled, “Teach us to number our days,” described human life as very short and ephemeral.

Urging the audience to always prepare for the day of death, he added that everything had its time.

The Catholic Bishop of Ekiti Diocese, the Most Rev. Felix Ajakaye, offered prayers for the families of the deceased and also urged the people to fulfil all the promises made to them.

“To lose one’s husband, brother, friend and confidant is enough trauma. Please, don’t let the widows suffer. The properties left behind, they worked together as husband and wife. I will appeal to you, don’t let them suffer.”

Olusola urged the families of the deceased to take heart during the period of grief, pledging the support of the state government to them.

He said, “When God says it is time, it is time. When your own day comes, what will people say about you. And when my own time comes what will the people say about me?

“We all have our own today and tomorrow but the greatest tomorrow is the one that will meet us at the feet of Christ. Let us learn from our departed brothers. They died in active service, they were hardworking and diligent.”

 

Credit : Punch

50,000 Nigerian Girls Die Annually Of Abortion Complications- NMA

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More than 50,000 Nige­rian girl-children die annu­ally due to complications relating to wrong and poor­ly done abortions across the country due to lack of education available to the Girl-Child Education and awareness.

The Nigeria Medical As­sociation (NMA), Ebonyi State chapter disclosed that majority of the victims were young school girls who fell victim of pres­sures relating to adoles­cence stage as well as lack of sensitization.

Speaking yesterday dur­ing the awareness cam­paign organized by the Committee on Girl-Child Education of NMA at the Model Girls’ Secondary School, Ugwuachara, Eb­onyi State, NMA Chair­man, Dr. Esike Chidi called on female students to take their studies very serious and avoid all distractions that often lead them astray to the level of indulging in pre-marital sexual ac­tivities which has been the major prevalent causes of unwanted pregnancies in girl children.

He said early and pre-marital sexual intercourse in girl children inhibit their chances of furthering their education and also expose them to various risks which includes unwanted preg­nancies which often lead to death of over 50,000 Nige­rian girl children annually.

Credit: SunOnline

Ban Oversea Medical Treatment, NMA Urges Buhari

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The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State chapter has challenged President Buhari Muhammadu to direct all political office holders to henceforth seek medical attention in Nigeria and ban them from oversea medical treatment.

Speaking at a press briefing to herald the association’s Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference in Lagos, chairman of the association, Dr Tope Ojo said, the ban of oversea medical treatment will be taken as the first signal of seriousness of this regime to reform the health sector.

Ojo said, “The NMA remains as worried as ever regarding the state of our dear country as evidenced by the deplorable conditions of infrastructure and amenities such as bad roads, lack of portable water, poor state of medical facilities, lack of uninterrupted power supply, unavailability of decent and affordable homes, poor drainage system, environmental pollution and poorly developed transportation system amidst other social, political and economic challenges faced by Nigerians on a daily basis.”

Read More: dailytimes

10 Things You Need To Know This Morning #NewsBits

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Good morning! Here are 10 things you need to know this morning:

1. The French government has said it owns the alleged armed-laden cargo plane that was ceased by the Nigerian authorities at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, on Saturday. They have however denied that the plane was carrying any kind of weapon. It said the plane was only carrying two light helicopter and their maintenance equipment.

2. An enstranged political associate of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, Buruji Kashamu has suceeded in securing a motion ex-parte from an Abuja High Court, restraining Obasanjo or anybody from publishing an autobiography written by the former president. The restraining order was given in favour of Kashamu by Justice Valentine Ashi last Friday following Kashamu’s complaint that the book was targeted at his person.

3. Report says the Boko Haram insurgents had on wednesday last week abducted 20 more girls in in Lassa, a town in Borno State, following the capture of the area after much resistance by local security outfit.

4. Reports also have it that Senate President, David Mark, Gov. Gabriel Suswam and Mike Mku picked the PDP’s ticket to contest the 2015 general elections in their respective senatorial zones in Benue. This was as the Saturday’s primaries held in the state ended peacefully with Mr Mike Onoja, withdrawing from the race against David Mark few hours to the commencement of the primaries.

5. With the report that the Enugu state senatorial primaries were marred by parallel elections, the INEC has said that it won’t recognize such parallel primaries as it is not recognized by the law.

6. The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has requested and stressed on the importance of having all politicians seeking political offices in the 2015 elections undergo a psychiatric test to check their mental state. The body at the end of a communique issued at the end of the National Executive Council meeting in Jos, directed all psychiatric doctors to register with the Independent National Electoral Commission to supervise such test.

7. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on Sunday cautioned all airport workers and travellers to desist from all forms of illegal transactions, saying anyone caught will risk 5 years’ jail terms.

8. The Police is currently searching for a 50-year-old man who defiled his own daughter. The man identified as Mr Vincent Uzor, allegedly raped his 14-year-old daughter in his house after the daughter visited him. The daughter narrated that she was raped in the kitchen.

9. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will today hold its governorship primaries nationwide. Report says tension remains very high in different states as the incumbent governors make to push for their successors.

10. The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, has assured that he would not deviate from the good work already done in the state by Governor Babatunde Fashola, promising to retain the Governor’s legacy if elected come next year.

Source – Daily POST NG

Health Workers Commence Indefinite Strike Today; Blame Presidency, Chukwu

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Today will see Nigerian health workers under the auspices of Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals commence an indefinite strike. Their reason for the industrial action borders on unresolved leadership crisis in the health sector, non-commencement of residency training programme for health professionals, non-implementation of new call duty allowance and non-payment of arrears.

Disclosing this in Ibadan yesterday, National President of the Union, Felix Faniran said the body was formed to protect the interests of physiotherapists, medical laboratory scientists, pharmacists, occupational therapists, optometrists, dieticians, medical social workers, clinical psychologists, dental therapists and so on.

He accused the Presidency and the now-resigned Minister for Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, of being behind the crisis.

According to Faniran, “In May 2010, the unions in the health sector, under the auspices of Joint Health Sector Unions, presented a memorandum to the government containing some demands. A presidential panel, headed by Justice Abdullahi Gusau, was set up in August to look into the demands.

“This panel was inhibited from carrying out its duties by both the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Minister of Health, by way of protests and criticisms on the part of NMA, while the minister obstructed the committee by starving it of funds and issuance of circulars to pre-empt the outcome of the panel.