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  • Police rescue 2 doctors from kidnappers in Kogi

    Police rescue 2 doctors from kidnappers in Kogi

    The police in Kogi State have rescued two medical doctors, kidnapped by unknown gunmen in different parts of the state on Oct. 6 and 7.

    Their rescue was confirmed in a statement issued in Lokoja on Sunday by the Public Relations Officer of the Police Command in the state, DSP William Aya.

    Aya said that Dr Ejike Mgbeahurike, who was kidnapped from his private clinic in Ayingba on Oct. 7, was rescued from a bush on Ayingba-Ankpa road in the early hours of Sunday.

    He further said that the Safer Highway Patrol team of Ankpa Divisional Police Station rescued the doctor while on routine patrol duty on the Ojogobi/Ogodo axis.

    “He was rescued to the police station while effort is being intensified to recover his vehicle,” the police spokesman said.

    He added said that Dr Yahaya Ebiloma, who was kidnapped in Ankpa on Oct. 6, had also regained freedom from his captors.

    Aya said that Ebiloma regained his freedom at about 11pm. on Oct. 9, when he was released by his abductors.

    The State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) had, on Oct. 9, cried out over the kidnap of two of its members, appealing to the police and the government to act to secure their release.

  • NMA seeks special vehicle number plates for doctors

    NMA seeks special vehicle number plates for doctors

    The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Anambra branch, on Thursday urged the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to issue special vehicle number plates to doctors, for easy identification on the road.

    The Chairman of the association, Jide Onyekwelu, made the plea when he led his executive members on a courtesy visit to the Sector Commander of FRSC in the state, Andrew Kumapayi, in Awka.

    Mr Onyekwelu also called for friendship and collaboration with the corps, saying that both parties undertook emergency life-saving operations.

    He told the sector commander that the new executive which was sworn in on June 27 had decided to pay him a familiarisation visit and to also make some requests.

    The chairman said the NMA was campaigning against quackery, to ensure that only recognised doctors’ stamps were seen on all medical reports the FRSC might need.

    He said the association wanted a joint training with the corps on basic life support and activities of special marshals.

    Mr Onyekwelu said the collaboration would ensure that FRSC operatives were further equipped with knowledge of crash victim handling, Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).

    Responding, the sector commander assured the association of FRSC’s continued partnership.

    Mr Kumapayi also assured the doctors that FRSC would support them, participate in all their life-saving campaigns as well as collaborate with them on fighting quackery and issuance of fake medical reports.

    “The training of FRSC staff on basic life support and handling of road crash victims is highly necessary as it will ensure better service delivery and safer motoring of environment for residents,” Mr Kumapayi said.

  • BREAKING: FG gives N4.5bn allowances for striking doctors

    BREAKING: FG gives N4.5bn allowances for striking doctors

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, on Friday, disclosed that the Federal Government has released N4.5bn to 31 federal teaching hospitals and medical centres nationwide.

    He said the sum covered hazard and inducement allowances of striking doctors for April and May.

    Ngige disclosed this to State House correspondents shortly after he, the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire; and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mr Festus Keyamo, briefed President Muhammadu Buhari, on the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the National Association of Resident Doctors.

    He said, “Just this morning, before we went to see Mr President, the Ministry of Finance reported that as at this morning, 3 am, they have paid the allowances for hazard and inducement to 31 teaching and Federal Medical Centres and specialist hospitals of the Federal Government service and they have expended close to N4.5 billion on the payment because we are paying them the arrears of April and May.

    “The payment for June will also be done immediately these ones are sorted out.

    “Again, it is important to report to you that in consonance with what he is saying, we have arranged a meeting for them to speak to the Nigerian Governors’ Forum because you don’t mix apples and oranges.

    “The issue of health is on the concurrent list, so the Federal Government will do its own and the state governments will be expected to do their own. Some of their grievances border on what they feel the state governments have not done.”

  • BREAKING: NMA directs doctors in Lagos to return to work

    BREAKING: NMA directs doctors in Lagos to return to work

    The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State, has reversed the indefinite sit-at-home directive to its members, telling them to resume work from 6 p.m today.

    The Association gave the directive in a joint statement on Thursday in Lagos, by its Chairman and Secretary, Dr Saliu Oseni and Dr Ramon Moronkola, respectively.

    The association on May 20 directed all doctors in the state to immediately proceed on an indefinite sit-at-home strike starting from 6.00p.m of the same day.

    The NMA leaders said their decision was as a result of the conflicting directives by the state government and law enforcement agents on the status of essential workers, including doctors and other health workers regarding movement in the state.

    The leaders also said their action was necessitated the incessant harassment of healthcare workers in Lagos by the security agents.

    “The NMA, Lagos state branch has resolved that it is presently unsafe for its members to continue to provide healthcare services under the present confused arrangement,” they said.

    The NMA leaders said following the directive, the Nigerian Police Force had reached out to the association to clarify and give assurance of their cooperation with all health workers.

    “The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was exemplary as his timely intervention from the late hours of May 19, helped prevent the worsening of the situation.

    “The association has further received assurances from the governor and the top hierarchy of the police, that no health workers will be further harassed in the course of their lawful efforts to sustain services in the middle of the pandemic.

    “Above all, the passionate appeal from the good people of Lagos state is difficult to resist, considering the fact that they will be most hit by the situation,” the statement said.

    The NMA officials commended the governor for his timely intervention and continued assurance in ensuring that health workers who were held by the police were released immediately, and in preventing subsequent recurrence.

    The leaders appreciated the minister of health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, and the Lagos State commissioner for health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, for their timely intervention.

    The NMA reassured the citizens of their commitment to continuing to partake actively in the fight against COVID-19, and the delivery of quality healthcare during the ongoing phased easing of restriction of movement and beyond.

  • Lagos begs doctors as NMA orders indefinite sit-at-home

    The Nigerian Medical Association in Lagos State has asked its members to embark on an indefinite ‘sit-at-home’ over alleged harassment and intimidation of medical workers by security agents in the state.

    The NMA on Wednesday gave the directive in a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr Saliu Oseni, and Secretary, Dr Ramon Moronkola, adding that the directive took effect from 6pm on Wednesday.

    The Lagos NMA accused police officers in Lagos of acting contrary to the directives of the Federal Government on lockdown order, noting that their members were unsafe.

    “As a direct result of the conflicting directives of the government and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, the Lagos State branch of Nigerian Medical Association was inundated yesterday (Tuesday) evening of several cases of harassment and intimidation of doctors and other health workers by officers and men of the Lagos State Police Command to the extent that even ambulances carrying patients with emergency cases were impounded. This has become a recurrent issue.

    “The Lagos State branch of the NMA has resolved that it is presently unsafe for members to continue to provide healthcare services under the present confused arrangement.

    “You are hereby advised to proceed on a sit-at-home, in your best interest, starting from 6pm today, Wednesday, 20th May, 2020 indefinitely, until otherwise advised,” the statement said.

    However, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotosho, said the issue had been resolved.

    He said, “Before it got to this level last night (Tuesday), the Lagos State Government intervened and called the top hierarchy of the police and told them the confusion we had in town and immediately the matter was resolved.

    “When the NMA said it was going on strike, the commissioner for health and everybody have been on it and they have spoken to them that the police had reversed themselves and there was no need to go on strike and they agreed.”

  • COVID-19: Relaxing lockdown at communal infection stage dangerous, NMA warns Buhari, Govs

    COVID-19: Relaxing lockdown at communal infection stage dangerous, NMA warns Buhari, Govs

    The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) on Friday spoke against the decision of the Federal Government to relax the stay-at-home order.

    The umbrella body of Nigerian doctors described the move as premature and can potentially expose more Nigerians to the coronavirus (COVID-19) infection.

    The association warns that the country could experience a bounce in the number of coronavirus cases as health workers are grappling with numerous challenges like lack for bed spaces in epicenters of the pandemic, especially Lagos, unraveled cause(s) of deaths in Kano State and delay in the distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) to public and private hospitals, among others.

    Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had declared a two-week lockdown of Lagos and Ogun states as well as the Federal Capital Teritory (FCT) Abuja during his first address on the pandemic on March 29, 2020, to enable the country tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

    On April 12, the President addressed the nation again on the same issue, announcing an extension of the lockdown by two weeks.

    However, on April 27, 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari approved a ‘phased and gradual easing’ of lockdown measures in Abuja, Lagos and Ogun when he extended the lockdown by one week.

    The relaxation of lockdown is billed to take effect from Monday, May 4, 2020.

    At the time of filing this report, there were 2,170 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the country with 238 new cases recorded nationwide yesterday.

    The number of discharged patients was 319 while the number of deaths stood at 58.

    The President of the NMA, Dr. Francis Faduyile, in a statement in Abuja, said: “As the incidence of the COVID-19 hits the 2000th mark by this weekend, just seven days after hitting the 1000th mark, it figuratively tilts the epidemiological curve towards an upward spike.

    “More so, the revelation by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) that the nation lacks bed spaces in Lagos worsens this frightening scenario.

    “The confusing situation in Kano is neither unraveled nor resolved. At the same time, some states continue to live in the delusion of zero COVID-19 incidences.

    “The easing of the lockdown even in phases is very premature. Nigeria should learn from her neighbour Ghana where the same action produced 100 per cent increase in infection rate in just a week.

    “Instead, the association believes that agencies of state should intensify efforts through mass enlightenment campaigns beyond current attempts to explain the dangers inherent in easing the lockdown prematurely in the face of rising infection rates; and also for the palliatives to reach the needy.”

    The NMA condemned the pronouncement of the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Muhammed, mandating the use of chloroquine and Zithromax to treat coronavirus patients in the state.

    It describes such approach as improper and unethical.

    “The Association bemoans the rather meddlesome pronouncements by some state actors on the management protocols for COVID-19 in the country.

    “In particular, we view the directive by the Bauchi State Governor for the use of a specific drug in the treatment of positive cases as improper and unethical.

    “Medical doctors have the prerogative to use whatever treatment regimen they consider best based on evidence and presentation of the patients.

    “We, therefore, implore our leaders to desist from distracting our time tested doctors and health workers.

    “Instead, they should encourage them through the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE), incentives and communication tools to interact with peers within the country and overseas as it is customary in the world of medical science to arrive at the best possible interventions for their patients,” he said.

    He added: “With 113 healthcare workers in Nigeria reportedly infected with COVID-19 in the course of discharging their duties, NMA reminds all doctors and healthcare workers not to let down their guards in adhering strictly to infection prevention and control protocols.

    “The Association re-emphasises that all healthcare workers should wear the proper PPE before attending to any patient as every patient is a potential COVID-19 patient.

    “Furthermore, the Association notes with dismay the delay in distributing the available PPE to all public and private hospitals to prevent, detect and treat more patients as it ought to, and pray that the burgeoning bureaucracy is not a clog in the wheels of progress in this regard.

    “We wish that the ‘Panel of Experts’ recently inaugurated by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) is empowered to immediately commence their work of thinking, analysing, synthesising, collating and disseminating the most relevant medical information that informs the best management of our COVID-19 patients.

    “Science and knowledge must inform policies and politics. We appreciate the FMOH for finally listening to the plea we made several weeks ago.

    “We wish the nation and our people the safety and protection from COVID-19 while praying the authorities to continue to carry out all necessary and more invigorated knowledge-based interventions towards a zero COVID-19 Nigeria.”

  • Our workforce not enough to battle COVID-19 – NMA Cries out

    Our workforce not enough to battle COVID-19 – NMA Cries out

    The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Anambra state has called on the governor of the state, Willie Obiano to recruit more medical personnel in the state to assist in battling the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

    It also demanded immediate procurement of Personal Protective Equipment at the various emergency operation centres in readiness for any outbreak in the state.

    Addressing newsmen on Friday in Onitsha, Chairman of the body, Dr. Emmanuel Monago further called on the government to consider shutting down all markets in the state as part of the measures to avert the pandemic.

    Monago who was represented by his Vice, Dr. Jide Onyekwelu applauded the government’s response to the scourge, describing it as well articulated and valid.

    He said, “We need staff, I don’t know the staff strength of doctors in the civil service, but I’m sure they are not many. If this disease comes in and attacks hundreds of people at once, it will quickly overwhelm the workforce.

    “It’s either they quickly recruit staff or make arrangements to engage doctors in private practice to assist.”

    He however pledged the readiness of the association to partner with the government in fighting the pandemic.

    He added, “We’re ready to collaborate with the government including encouraging our members to compliment the medical personnel of government. That’s why we commend the Civil Service Doctors in the state for calling off their one-month strike.

    “We’ve also advised our doctors to be at alert because doctors in private practice attend to more than 70percent of health needs of the people of the state.

    “We’ve told them not to wait for government to provide some basic materials, including masks and sanitizers, because once it enters the hospital, it will be catastrophic.

    “If you can’t afford the official ones, go for the improvised.

    While advising visitors to stay away from hospitals in the state, the NMA boss insisted that only sick persons and their attendants were allowed entry to the hospitals until the scourge receded.

    He also stressed the need for regular management meeting with the staff on the updates and challenges of the pandemic, just as he advised that consulting rooms should be well ventilated.

    “Do not visit hospitals unless you are sick. Only sick people or those attending to impatients and their attendants will be allowed entry to the hospitals. A notice board should be kept at the entrance to that effect.

    “All health facilities should have staff at the entrance of their hospitals to ensure that all persons entering the facility wash and or sanitize their hands before entrance and exit.

    “Have isolation room/ward where a suspected case will stay until contact is made with Anambra State Public Health Emergency Operation Centre on 08030953771 or 08117567363,” Monago noted.

  • Just in: NMA warns Buhari on poor handling of Covid-19, demands unified lockdown

    Just in: NMA warns Buhari on poor handling of Covid-19, demands unified lockdown

    The Nigerian Medical Association has warned President Muhammadu Buhari-led government over the poor handling of the Coronavirus pandemic in the country while calling for a uniform and immediate lockdown of the country.

    Nigeria has so far recorded 51 confirmed cases of the virus and one recorded death.

    The NMA in a statement by Francis Faduyile, its President, on Thursday said key strategies in containing the virus were largely absent or sub-optimally implemented.

    It said based on assessment of the response so far, federal and state authorities were working independently, thus leaving several grounds uncovered.

    The NMA further lamented the absence of purpose-built isolation centers unlike in the past when infectious disease hospitals existed in every state of the federation.

    In the statement, the NMA called for the immediate and uniform lockdown of every state and non-essential services as well as synergy between the federal and state governments in handling the pandemic.

    The group also called on the Nigerian Government to give incentives to every medical practitioner and volunteer helping to contain the spread of the virus, adding that government must reconvene the 2014 team that tackled Ebola to assist with effective planning.

  • Lassa fever outbreak evidence of poor health funding in Nigeria – NMA

    The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) on Monday called on the Federal Government to embark on intensive public enlightenment campaigns as more states confirmed cases of Lassa fever

    It said the government needed to bolster the country’s preparedness in handling infectious diseases, especially viral hemorrhagic fever , at all levels of healthcare delivery through an increase in the budgetary allocations to the health sector and full implementation of the National Health Act (2014)

    The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) listed Lagos, Abuja, Owo, Irua and Abakaliki as cities hosting five functional molecular laboratories for diagnosing and detecting Lassa Fever

    The NMA explained in a statement by its President, Dr. Francis Faduyile, that the frequency of Lassa fever outbreaks gives credence to the deplorable state of healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

    The statement said: “It is important to strengthen institutional infection prevention and control measures and preparedness with periodic capacity building, and build more diagnostic and treatment centers across the country in order to effectively combat this dreaded virus.

    “The NMA, therefore, calls on the government and all stakeholders to join hands together to ensure the speedy and full implementation of the National Health Act 2014, increase the budgetary allocation to the health sector to 15 percent of the annual budget in line with the minimum benchmark recommended by the Abuja Declaration of 2001. All must also be committed to the revamping of the primary healthcare system.

    “We appeal to health authorities at all levels to prioritize the capacity building of healthcare professionals on standard infection prevention and control measures and ensure the provision of basic disinfectants and appropriate Personal Protective Equipment in healthcare facilities. We call on corporate organizations, NGOs and religious organizations to work with Government and the Nigerian Medical Association in intensifying ongoing public enlightenment campaign and ensure that all Nigerians are educated especially those at the rural communities on preventive strategies and prompt care seeking.”

    The NMA advised people, especially those living in rural areas to wash their hands with soaps frequently and use hand sanitisers when appropriate as means of staying free from the disease.

    It urged health workers to adopt precautionary measures when caring for suspected Lassa fever patients “ with the use of gloves, and avoiding contact with the body fluid (urine, vomitus, faeces and blood) of the sick.

    The association added: “All medical and dental practitioners and healthcare professionals in general must have high index of suspicion.

    “In addition to basic infection prevention and control measures, extra precaution should be taken whenever a patient presents with the symptoms especially the ‘wet symptoms’; vomiting, diarrhea and bleeding. The need to insist on appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) cannot be overemphasized.

    “Healthcare practitioners should be cautious of the display of heroism especially in the absence of the basics required for care especially appropriate Personal Protective Equipment or in case of lack of the needed skill. This is pivotal to prevent transmission or break the chain of transmission in healthcare facility setting and prevent avoidable deaths.”

    Director General of the NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, named the hospitals as the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital in Edo Edo State; Federal Medical Centre, Owo, Ondo State; Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State and Lagos University Teaching Hospital in Idi Araba, Lagos.

    Ihekweazu said: “Presently, samples from suspected Lassa fever patients from South-South states and some states in the South-West are tested at the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital; while samples from South-East states are tested at the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki.

    “Samples from states in the North are tested at the NCDC National Reference Laboratory Abuja and samples from South-West states are tested at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, while Federal Medical Centre, Owo in Ondo State screens samples from Ondo State only.

    The Minister of Environment, Mohammad Abubakar, advised Nigerians to stop eating rats.

    Abubakar, said: “Nigeria is currently experiencing Lassa fever outbreak in several parts of the country with reported cases of fatalities.

    “Latest report from the NCDC released on January . 25 has it that 195 confirmed cases and 29 deaths have been recorded in Edo, Ondo, Ebonyi, Delta, Taraba, Plateau, Bauchi, Ogun, Abia, Kano and Enugu states. .

    “Out of the confirmed cases, 89 per cent are from Ondo, Edo and Ebonyi states. “

  • Nigeria left with just 42,000 qualified doctors to care for 200 million population – NMA

    Only 42,000 doctors out of the 75,000 registered by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) are available for Nigeria’s 200 million people, the association’s President Francis Faduyile has shockingly revealed.

    The 33,000 missing, he said, have left for greener pastures, adding that Nigeria has one of the worst health indices in the world.

    Faduyile in an interview with ThisDay attributed the emigration of Nigerian doctors to high rate of insecurity, poor job satisfaction, low remuneration, unemployment, bad roads, and poor healthcare system.

    Faduyile painted a grim picture of the collapsed health care system: “In rural areas, we have one doctor to 22,000 people, while in towns and cities, we have one doctor to 10,000 Nigerians or one doctor to 12,000 Nigerians, whereas the World Health Organisation (WHO) said for any country to have a balanced ratio, it must have one doctor to 600 persons.

    “Nigerian doctors and other healthcare workers, including nurses and pharmacists, are leaving the country in droves because of the poor healthcare system and lack of job satisfaction.

    “The United Kingdom employs, on the average, 12 Nigerian doctors every week. If Nigeria decides to graduate 3,000 doctors every year, without the doctors leaving this country, it will take us 25 years to meet the WHO estimate of one doctor to 600 persons,” he said.

    The NMA president said: “Nigeria is losing some of its most educated, talented and professional healthcare practitioners to countries such as Namibia, Senegal, Ghana, UK, South Africa and many others.

    “This is because the government is not interested in giving adequate priority to health, low funding, no appropriate employment, low remuneration, lack of equipment to intervene and save lives, insecurity, bad roads, among other problems.

    “Now, it is taking a toll on the country as our people are suffering due to the shortage of workers, people are dying due to lack of effective healthcare system and Nigeria has one of the worst health indices in the world,” he said.