Democratisation of CMD’s appointment responsible poor health management ―NMA President

THE President of the Nigeria Medical Association, Prof Mike Ogirimma, on Tuesday decried the adoption of a democratised  procedure for the appointment of Chief Medical Directors in Nigeria teaching hospitals, contending the development was responsible for the poor performance of the health sector.

He made this known at the second anniversary of the doctors time out family titled, “Doctors as Heads of Tertiary Health Institutions in Nigeria: Problems and Prospects” and held recently at Ile-Ife, Osun State.

Ogirimma said, “management of all the health centres were better before the democratisation of the procedure for the appointment of the Chief Medical Directors/Medical Directors.

He lamented that presently tstakeholders were not involved in the monitoring and evaluation of the tenure of CMDs, making it impossible for them to be involved in the discipline of the erring administrator.

According to Ogirimma, “the fact that there are few cases of gross corruption, arrogance,  high handedness and recklessness in our leaders, means the procedure for the appointment and checking of CMDs must change”.

He however, urged health sector administrators to lead by good example, stressing that an all inclusive management protocol must be seen in all institutions.

The facilitator of the Doctors Time Out Family, Dr Anthony Chukwunonso Ude, who is also a radiologist at the University College Hospital (UCH),  Ibadan, said the non-governmental organisation started as a communication link between medical practitioners who were restricted by geographical location.

He said the organization was also focused on guiding their activities towards the sustenance of welfare for all members of National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD and the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) as well as political sensitization, mobilization and engagement of doctors nationwide.

According to Ude, “bridging the communication divide between junior doctors and that between doctors and the public; driving support for the establishment of a well structured residency training program; dismantling inter-professional strife in the health sector; addressing areas of health needs especially in vulnerable communities; caring for the needy and less privileged; improving the national health insurance quality and coverage; reducing capital flight due to health tourism from Nigeria remains the watchword of our organisation”.