Nigeria Needs Robust Health Policies NMA Tells National Assembly.
The Nigerian Medical Association , NMA has called for robust health Policies to enhance the quality of health delivery to the citizenry. The NMA President, Prof I.A.O UJAH made this assertion when members of his executive and other health care stakeholders paid a courtesy visit to the Speaker, House of Representatives Rt Hon Femi Gbajabiamila.
Some of the issues brought to the attention of the Speaker included; involvement of NMA in health policy legislation, prompt payment of allowances and other remunerations to doctors and health workers to reduce brain drain.
Also on the front burner was increase in retirement age for members, improvement in the budgetary allocation for health, establishment of a health bank, and enactment of legislations to promote interprofessional harmony.
Prof Ujah urged for expansion of employment opportunities for Doctors, commencement of the central pooling and posting of House Officers, full Implementation of the National Health Act and Release of the Yayale Ahmed Report.
The NMA president advocated for full Implementation of the Residency training Act, support to the association in enforcing the use of Doctors stamp and Investigation of the approval of the consultant Pharmacist cadre in the scheme of Service by the national council on establishment.
In his response, The Speaker thanked NMA for the courtesy visit.
While congratulating the President of the NMA and members of the National Officers Committee on their election, he promised to sustain his support to the association.
Mr Speaker commended the association and her members for the great work done in response to the COVID-19 pandemic despite the difficult working environment.
He promised to look into the issues raised by the NMA President in his address and particularly mentioned that he liked the idea of the Health Bank and requested a synopsis from the NMA President.
Also, he said the Government had appropriated about N1.1 trillion naira to the health sector in the current Federal budget and that the central posting of House Officers will begin early next year.
Other highlights of the courtesy visit included presentation of souvenirs to the Speaker and group photographs.
Dr Aniekeme Uwah JP
National Publicity Secretary
02.12.20
nationalnma.org
