Sola POPOOLA
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has described the planned stoppage of funding for Medical and Dental Council(MDCN) by the Federal Government as ill-conceived .
The Ekiti State NMA Chairman, Dr Babatunde Rosiji who , stated this at a Press Conference, to heralding the 2023 Physicians’ Week argued that Doctors and Dentists do not have the financial capacity to run the affairs of the Body that regulates their profession.
Rosiji therefore called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to review the policy and allow the funding to stay in the best interest of the citizenry and the profession.
“The plan to stop funding Medical and Dental Council (MDCN) from next year to us is ill conceived and can only lead to disaster. The job of MDCN which is regulation of medical and dental practice is so important that funding her by government is appropriate.“If we stop funding the MDCN, I wonder who we want to do it? Probably the doctors and dentists will take over funding a body that regulates and may punish them if necessary.
“Let us remember that he that pays the piper may dictate the tune. We call on our dear government to continue to fund MDCN in the interest of the health and wellbeing of our citizenry.”
“We use this medium to humbly sound a note of warning to all and sundry to never try to run Nigerian doctors down in anyway but to always follow due process if aggrieved or dissatisfied with them in the course of discharging their responsibilities. If anyone has any case against a doctor practicing in Nigeria, he/she should channel such to the Registrar of Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) for appropriate response being the body statutorily saddled with such responsibility.
“The Nigerian Medical Association hereby express her displeasure at the recent media trial of some healthcare workers by the Minister of Women Affairs. We believe that such behavior is infra dig for one that occupies such a lofty office. The Nigerian Medical Association is watching closely all processes and proceedings as it concerns the case in the FCT and shall respond appropriately. We also use this opportunity to express our condolences to the relatives of the deceased and call on our security agencies to do their job by fishing out the culprits responsible for her death. It is high time our security agencies ended this menace of “one chance” and most of the insecurity problems including kidnapping for ransom”
While condemning the recent kidnap of some doctors, the NMA called on government to strengthen security around the hospitals and medical practitioners saying it had become a daily event to the point of desensitization.
Citing the cases of Cross River, Enugu, Benue, Kogi and Akwa Ibom, stressing that the government and Nigerians are no longer moved by their plights.Rosiji said the body will not stop campaigning against Kidnap and insecurity of colleagues, while calling on Government at different levels to take drastic action towards the security of medical practitioners.
The Body also hailed the giant strides of Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti state in the health sector, through the approval of new Hazard Allowance, MRTF and pay parity for clinical workers at HMB, within a year of his assumption into office.
He noted that while they have made a resolve to toe the path of advocacy and Dialogue in the interest of Ekiti people, Oyebanji has been attentive to their demands and have been accomodating them with positive ideas.
“I must single out the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji for his dogged commitment and resolve towards making the health sector in Ekiti State work. While we have made a resolve to toe the path of advocacy and dialogue in the interest of Ekiti people, we have been equally blessed with a Governor who has listening ears and who is accommodating of positive ideas.
“The approval of the new hazard allowance, MRTF and pay parity for clinical workers at HMB are sincere steps to match the promise made by the Governor early this year. Mr. Governor, during the meeting with you earlier this year, you sent me ‘tell your colleagues to be patient with me, I will make them happy’.”
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