NMA tasks members on unity

Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), FCT Chapter has advocated for unity among members for the purpose of achieving a common goal.

The outgoing Chairman of the chapter, Dr Charles Ugwuanyi, said at a news conference in Abuja on Friday that his administration, which began on August 5, 2022, had been able to keep the association together.

He also encouraged the incoming executive not to condole any divisive tendency capable of causing disunity among members, adding that we could only achieve more of our aspirations when we stay together.

Ugwuanyi further called on the incoming executive to encourage mutual respect among members, adding that NMA-FCT is a microcosm of Nigeria’s political space.

He said as doctors, we must live by example, adding that it doesn’t matter where you come from, your religion, or your ethnicity.

“All doctors must conform and align with the code of conduct and ethics as obtained in a civilized egalitarian society, as well as make all the sacrifices and attain mental maturity.

“In the past two years, we came to the office exactly Aug. 5, 2022, exactly two years now with few days, we came with high hopes to achieve our desire, and we have made some achievements based on our campaign manifestos.

“There are also some points of our manifestos that we are unable to achieve, but as you are aware, governance is a continuous programme. We are hoping that the people we are handing over will continue from where we stop.

“The high point of our achievement is that we have been able to keep the association together; as you are aware, Abuja is a cosmopolitan city, and Abuja is a project Nigeria city. All parts of the country are represented in our association here.

“It is important that NMA FCT maintain that tradition of giving every part of Nigeria equal opportunities; in my administration that is about to end, we have been able to carry everybody along across devices, religious, ethnic, political, and others.

“The biggest achievement is that we inherited our association intact and we are handing over it intact,” he said.

He said that his administration promised
to increase public awareness to socially re-engineer NMA-FCT and have been able to achieve that.

Ugwuanyi said that his administration was able to achieve a lot in terms of welfare support for members; part of it is the acquisition of land from the FCT administration.

According to him, some of the reasons why the association is losing many doctors is because of poor condition of service in terms of remunerations.

He said that the NMA-FCT had also played its role in the National NMA politics; part of it was the hosting of the 2023 National Executive Council Meeting in the FCT, and this made NMA-FCT take a prime position in the National politics.

Ugwuanyi said that NMA-FCT had engaged the National NMA to engage the relevant agency of the Federal Government to cause a salary increment no matter what.

The outgoing Chairman said that the inauguration of a campaign across FCT about violence against medical workers also created many benefits for the association and has made violence against medical workers.

He said that the NMA-FCT secretariat had been repositioned to a very accessible site, adding that members had difficulties accessing that before now.

He called on the government to improve the working environment of medical workers and stop the continuous dwindling of the workforce of doctors and nurses.

Ugwuanyi called on an incoming executive to strive to achieve some of the lofty ambitions his administration plans to achieve for the progress of the association, adding that a file that will direct them will be handed over to them.

He also called for partners and sponsors to assist the association, saying some of the funds used in running the association usually come from members.

The outgoing Chairman said that the new council of the NMA had made some substantial progress with the Federal Ministry of Health, on the issue of one on one replacement of health workers.

He said that the head of the Federal medical hospital and other government hospitals are working together, along with the presidency.

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