Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has urged patients to appeal to the Federal Government to stop playing politics with health.
NMA Chairman, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter, Dr. Enema Amodu, during a briefing, stated that although patients are their first priority, but a poorly motivated health care provider will be unable to discharge his or her sacred duties as expected.
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Amodu said, “the wake of COVID-19 pandemic, migration of doctors and other health workers in their droves for search of greener pastures (BRAIN DRAIN), disharmony in the health sector amongst health workers, breakdown or epileptic health care delivery vis-a-viz strikes and industrial actions of health workforce e.g. present NARD strike, are some of the problems facing the health sector.”
While lamenting how they are poorly remunerated and motivated; he added that casualisation of health workers across the various professionals including doctors at the different tiers of government is also another challenge faced by them.
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He decried that patients are sadly the recipients of the various strikes by health workers, including the ongoing one by members of the National Association Resident Doctors (NARD).
Amodu said inadequate facilities for efficient and effective service delivery have also led to lack of dedication and commitment to duty.
The association therefore urged the Federal Government to prioritise the health sector by increasing its budgetary allocation to 15 per cent of the total budget, based on its promise in the Abuja Declaration of 2001.
© ControlTV 2021.
