By Sunnews Times Editor.
The Chief Medical Director, CMD, Federal Medical Center, Umuahia, Professor Azubuike K. Onyebuchi has appealed to Federal Government to resolve all the issues bothering on the welfare of Doctors, both the residents and consultants, to enable them have good working environment to and provide medical services to their patients, adding that it is the primary reason why Doctors are employed in hospitals.
He was speaking as the Chief Host of a four-day Biennial General Meeting(BGN) and Scientific Conference of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), FMC Umuahia Chapter , which kicked off on Thursday, September 16, 2021.
The conference which is on-going at Queen Elizabeth Chapel hall, inside the Federal Medical Center will be rounded up on Sunday September 19th with thanksgiving church service at the same venue , lumcheon/ Awards presentations at Rapha Hotel, along Secretariat road, Umuahia.
The CMD said that the conference, with the theme, “Security, Insecurity and social protection ; impact on Health outcomes in Nigeria”, is very apt, as was alluded by the Local Organzing Committee Chairman, Dr Kalu Ulu Klau, and the Chairman of the Association, Dr Godswill Ogbonnaya Uko who spoke earlier.
“All alluded to what has been happening to all of us today, and I stand here to encourage and plead to the Federal Government to resolve all the issues bothering on the welfare of Doctors, both the residents and consultants, so that we can have good working environment to provide services to patients, which is the primary reason why we are in the hospitals”.
He said further that if nothing is done before long, JOHESU will also embark on their own strike, which he said that is not what the Health system needs at this point, when the nation is battling with the third wave of Covid 19.
He and prayed that all issues will be resolved and urged Government to look into the yearnings of Doctors positively so that they can provide medical services to the people.
He extolled the the leadership of the Association, commended them for good leadership, adding that they have approached issues in matured manner even when there is disagreement between them and the management.
“They had all found ways of resolving issues to avoid industrial unrest”, and commended their innovations within two years .
“This is the first time I am seeing MDCAN of any hospital organize what looks like an inaugural lecture, which only happens in Universities where professors come to prophesy what they have done to deserve to be professors.
He advised the consultants in FMC Umuahia to get involved in their various societies and be known in Nigeria and globally, and not to be a local Champion in FMC Umuahia.
He expressed displeasure that during a recent accreditation in FMC, the Chairman of the Faculty complained that he did not know any of the consultants in the hospital, and urged them to please get involved as the leaders in the health institution
“Get involved, attend conferences, present papers, so that when they are talking about FMC Umuahia, they will spot somebody in that place that is their person, which I did as a consultant and it brought me to lime light to the extent that everybody, even in Sokoto knows him”.
He promised to ensure that they have a good environment to work , stating that his aim is to accredit every department before the expiration of my tenure.
In his opening remarks through his representative Professor Uwakwe, Vice Chancellor of Gregory University, the Chairman of the occasion, Professor Gregory Iyke Ibe said that he recognizes Medical consultants as front line professionals in Health care delivery , whose roles cannot be underestimated.
He said that they should be given due recognition especially now that the world is besieged with all kinds of disease vectors that are defying medical attention.
“We need the services of medical consultants to wade into the situation and see what could be done, as there is every need for Government to give due recognition to such bodies of Medical attendants consultants Association of Nigeria, who have the key,experience and wherewithal in terms of knowledge and research to confront whatever needs to be confronted”.
The Special Guest of honor and speaker of Abia state House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Chinedu Enyinnaya Orji, who declared the conference open was represented by the Deputy Speaker, Mr Ifeanyi Uchendu.
He congratulated the Association for choosing a befiting theme, which he described as appropriate and timely.
The key note speaker, Professor Benjamin S. Chudi Uzochukwu warned that if Nigerians did not change their attitude with intention to stamping out the menace of Covid 19, there may be another outbreak of the pandemic.
He emphasized on the need to secure health care to avoid being vulnerable to the pandemic and other deadly diseases.
Some other important dignitaries who could be immediately recognized include Mrs Franca Ekwueme, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, State Director of DSS, Controller of the State Correctional center, and the state Commissioner o police who were represented at the conference and Professor U. Iweha of Gregory University, Uturu, as well as people too numerious to be mentioned here. END
