COMMUNIQUÉ OF THE NIGERIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION (NMA) ISSUED AT THE END OF THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (NEC) MEETING HELD AT QUEEN’S SUITES, AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE ON 30TH AUGUST, 2008

PREAMBLE

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) held its National Executive Council meeting on August 30th, 2008 at Queen’s Suites Awka.

Declaring the meeting open, the Governor of Anambra State, His Excellency, Mr. Peter Obi, highlighted the weaknesses of the Nigerian Democratic experience vis-à-vis his dogged and tortuous legal battle to reclaim his mandate. He also decried the level of corruption in Nigeria as well as our wrong value system, noting that it is only in Nigeria that a local government councilor earns more than a Professor. He ended his address by appealing to Nigerians especially the political class to lay a solid foundation for our children in order not to jeopardize their future.

Earlier in his address, the President, Nigerian Medical Association, Dr. Prosper I. Igboeli called on the Governor of Anambra State, and indeed the government of Nigeria to partner with the NMA to revamp our decaying Healthcare delivery system. He noted the many problems affecting the Nigerian health sector which include the lopsided distribution of health workers, the shortage of some categories of health manpower, the menace of unregulated traditional medicine practitioners especially in rural arrears, poor remuneration, motivation of health workers and inconducive working environment, poor infrastructure and equipment, difficulty in accessing health facilities, no provision for the elderly and indigent citizens, lack of legislative frame work for healthcare delivery, and the impediments to implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme.

He reiterated the need to resuscitate and strengthen Primary Health Care and for the various levels of Health Care to function effectively.

The meeting was very well attended with robust deliberations.

RESOLUTIONS

1. The Association noted the subterranean moves by the National Universities Commission to make acquisition of a Ph.D by Medical Practitioners mandatory for their ultimate academic career progression, and maintains that Postgraduate Medical fellowships which indeed is higher than a Ph.D is the standard worldwide in the Medical Profession. However, Doctors who wish to acquire more certificates like a Ph.D have the liberty to do so.

2. NEC reviewed the letter from the office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation on appointment of Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service, relating to the exclusion of Medical Consultants on Special Grade SGL 17 from such appointments. The Association resolved that this letter is discriminatory, offensive, totally unacceptable to NMA, and should therefore be immediately withdrawn in the interest of industrial harmony in the health sector.

3. The Association noted the embarrassment and disappointment of Nigerian Doctors caused by the frequent trips abroad by Public Officers for Medical treatment and called on all Nigerians to partner with the NMA in advocating for a halt to this by legislation, provision of adequate Medical and Health infrastructure, appropriate remuneration, and motivation of health workers in a conducive working environment.

4. NEC expressed dismay at the insensitivity of the Presidency to our deplorable health indices by the non-appointment of a substantive Minister of Health for a period over 6 months. The Association hereby calls on the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to appoint a medically qualified substantive Health Minister without further delay.

5. NEC directed that the 2008 AGM of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) be held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

6. The Association noted the increasing number/rate of collapsed buildings and called on government to ensure strict compliance with the building code to avoid the attendant loss of human lives and waste of scarce resources.

7. Finally, NEC finds unacceptable, Government’s poor handling of the trade dispute with the NMA over the CONTISS Salary Structure, declared on February 10th, 2007. The NMA reiterates her call for restoration of the MSS/MSSS Salary Structure. Nigerians are invited to note the restraint and maturity exhibited by NMA over the past 18 months on this matter, and to hold government responsible for any subsequent breakdown of industrial harmony in the health sector arising from this.

Dr. Prosper Ikechukwu Igboeli President

Dr. Kenneth Johnson Okoro Secretary-General