The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Taraba State on Monday decried the ratio of doctor to patients in the State, saying one doctor attend to 10,000 patients in the state.
Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in the State, Dr Bako Ali disclosed this at a press conference as part of activities to mark the 2022 Physician Week in Jalingo.
Bako while enumerating the challenges facing doctors in the state noted that, the state was yet to start the implementation of CONMESS for doctors on the state payroll.
“Another challenge is that the government is yet to start payment of hazard allowance for doctors practising in Taraba State and they are now moving to Federal hospitals, while those in the federal service are moving abroad over poor remuneration and condition of service.
“The poor state of facilities in most of the state hospitals is also discouraging even though the Wukari, Gembu and Bambur General Hospitals are receiving attention by the present administration,” he said.
Earlier, the President of NMA Dr Uche Ojinmah in a speech said the NMA had to shelve this year’s Physicians’ Week national opening ceremony as a result of the massive flood affecting Bayelsa and other states of the federation.
While describing the flood as one too many, Ojinmah called on the federal government to actively initiate measures to avert another flooding.
The NMA President lamented that Nigerian doctors are poorly paid, overworked, lacked necessary work tools and had now become a target of kidnappers even as he said successive governments have treated the health sector with disdain.
“On the need to review CONMESS, let me inform you that the ball is now in the court of the government, but let no one take our civility for weakness as we shall do all within limits of legality to protect the interest of doctors.
“The mass movement of doctors is a universal problem. Currently, Nigeria has the highest number of foreign doctors working in the UK and Pakistan while we are losing our human resources for health in geometric progression.
“We call on the government to quickly declare an emergency in Nigeria’s health sector for the sake of citizens,” he appealed.
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