The Kebbi chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has called on the state government to recruit more medical doctors and health workers to boost healthcare delivery.
“The dearth of medical doctors and supporting health workers is affecting healthcare delivery; the situation is worse in the rural areas. Government must engage more hands for improved service delivery,” its Chairman, Dr. Haruna Musa, said.
Musa made the call at the Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the association in Birnin Kebbi on Saturday.
The meeting had the theme: “Quackery and Anti-Quackery in the Healthcare Sector: Challenges and Way Forward’’.
Musa also called on the state government to remove career restrictions and salary disparity, and stressed the need to revive the policy on training and re-training of doctors.
The NMA official also called for the quick resolution of the grey areas on the payment of Consolidated Medical Salary Scale (CONMESS) so as to boost the morale of doctors in the state government’s service.
The chairman advised government to convert the 200-bed hospital in Kalgo into a specialised centre of excellence for Trauma, Cardiac issues, Dialysis and Renal transplant.
“The hospital can also become a specialist centre for radiotherapy,” he added.
Gov Atiku Bagudu, while declaring the meeting opened, had assured the association that his administration would collaborate with the NMA to improve healthcare delivery, and urged doctors to expand the scope of their services.
