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Abuja — The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has blamed the refusal of most state and local governments to live up to their responsibilities of providing primary and secondary health care to their citizens, as a major contributory factor to the abysmal health system in the country.
The association noted with great concern, the outbreak of cholera in various states of the North East zone with associated high morbidity and mortality rate adding that these outbreaks are avoidable and preventable if there were measurable level of emergency preparedness, response to medical emergencies and surveillance under good leadership and governance through safe and portable source of drinking water, hygiene, waste and sewage disposal methods.
Speaking to journalists yesterday in Abuja, the President of the association, Dr Omede Idris, said this was further worsened by lack of manpower as a result of poor remuneration, poorly maintained infrastructure and inappropriate, inadequate or absence of equipment, consumable and drugs in the nation's hospitals.
Dr Idris called on Nigerians to elect those with genuine health programmes as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.
"NMA called on all political office holders and those seeking the mandate of the people to be explicit on their health agenda for the citizenry. Such persons should take direct responsibilities for their actions and inactions for quality, affordable and accessible health care."
While appealing to state and local government to embrace CONMESS, in order to ensure a uniform salary structure for all doctors, the NMA boss said in desiring to restore peace within the health sector at all levels, the association has directed all affiliate bodies of the association, particularly, the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to withdraw all threats of strike actions against the Federal Government, saying the rising waves of restiveness due to delayed commencement of Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Salary Structure and the non-payment of arrears from January to May 2010 is quite disturbing.
Responding, the President of NARD, Dr John Tunde Aremu, said his association decided to suspend the ultimatum which would have culminated in a nationwide strike yesterday in sympathy of their colleagues in states and for the payment of CONMESS arrears due to the outbreak of cholera in some states in the north and the intervention of the National Executive of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) among others.
He said henceforth, all negotiation on the implementation of CONMESS in the states would be handled by its parent body, the NMA in the next six weeks, while NARD would watch closely.
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After nearly 50 years of independence and hundreds of billions of dollars generated have been misused. The very basic necessities of life for the common man is hard to come by.
The ministry of health at federal and state levels and the governors in all those states where there is a cholera outbreak should be removed. At least the NMA (Nigerian medical association) are saying the right thing. This whole episode is preventable but yet many have needlessly died, how much clarity does one need to take action?
Provision of drinking water and sewerage, is not a frivolity, but a necessity. Instead you get politicians suggesting all sorts of far fetched and unnecessary ideas, like building international airports, creating more states etc. If the basics can't be addressed then put quite simply there is no hope as the country is going backwards.
Any normal government, would have taken this as a wake up call to put in place a plan and follow that plan to bring these utilities up to scratch in as short a time as possible, knowing Nigeria nothing will be done. Those whose fault it was that this occurred will carry on as before. Will Nigerians ever learn their lesson?
The Nigerian Medical Association for years watched the Nation's Hospitals deteriorate,with little or no modern medical equipment and zero Drug availability for their patients with very little protest. Yet they are always quick to call a general strike to line their pockets with higher salaries.These so-called medical professionals cannot see why they should also fight and sacrifice for a modern medical care for their patients.They would rather operate under an antiquated system that disrespect and marginalise their profession leading to underperformance,misdiagnosis and a failure to ensure the best care for their patients,which is the true calling of a medical professional.