Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has called on government at all levels to urgently do the needful by addressing the various cases of violence against healthcare workers in Nigeria.
NMA said the ugly act should be declared a national emergency requiring robust action.
The national president of NMA, Dr. Uche R. Ojinmah, stated this Monday in a communique during the 63rd Annual General Conference and Delegates’ meeting of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) held at Jalingo, Taraba state, with the theme: “Medicine and the Law”.
The Subthemes were “Violence Against Health Workers in Nigeria: Which Way Forward?” and “Menace of Substance Abuse in Nigeria: The Burden and the Urgent Need for Action.’’
NMA specifically called on the national and state Houses of Assembly to pass protective laws to stop the violence and safeguard the rights of healthcare workers.
He reiterated the fact that government at all levels should as a matter of urgency prioritise healthcare, show better political commitment to healthcare financing, pay better and competitive salaries, provide better work environment, re jig the security architecture to protect lives and property, provide access to social amenities and increase opportunities for doctors in Nigeria.
NMA identified these critical factors as key to reversing the on-going brain drain and could turn same into brain gain.
Dr. Ojinmah called on the House of Representatives to reject the bill by Hon. Ganiyu Johnson as the NMA shall deploy all legitimate means at her disposal to resist any form of enslavement of the Nigerian Medical/Dental practitioner, instead, the National Assembly should put pressure on government to address the “Push” factors propelling brain drain which has led to the mass exodus of doctors and other health workers for greener pastures.
