Buhari Meets With NMA Members

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday met with the members of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, led by its President, Prof Innocent Ujah at the State House, Abuja even as he appealed to striking resident doctors to call off the strike.

The President who said he was delighted to host the NMA President and members of his delegation, assured the NMA delegation of his administration’s commitment towards ensuring all the terms of the agreement entered into between his government and the various affiliates of the association.

Buhari further highlighted the achievements recorded by his administration in the health sector, including approvals for payment of Basic Health Care Provision Fund, increased budgetary allocation for health, the establishment of molecular laboratories, Isolation Centres, and oxygen plants in various states across the country among others.


Continuing, he congratulated the Prof Ujah and his team on their election and the leadership role the association is providing in the health sector.

Earlier, the NMA President, in his opening remarks thanked the President for granting them audience and apologised for the inability of the association to honour the earlier scheduled meeting.

Ujah who also commeñded President Buhari for the appointment of her members into the leadership of various MDAs including the recently constituted Health Sector Reform Committee used the opportunity to draw the attention of the President to a myriad of issues militating against effective health care delivery in the country and those needing urgent attention.

Ujah listed some of the issues needing urgent attention in the health sector to include; the ongoing resident doctors’ strike, release of the white paper on the Alhaji Yayale Ahmed Report, COVID-19 pandemic and effect on national development, the raging controversy between holders of PhD and fellowship by Medical Doctors in some Universities .

Other request Uja made are; worsening insecurity due to Insurgency, banditry , kidnappings and abduction, the need for the Establishment of Health ( Infrastructure) Bank, Universal Health Coverage (UHC)/ National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Assent to the Medical and Dental Practitioners Repeal and Re-enactment Bill, Establishment of new Universities of Health Sciences and Teaching Hospitals, and waivers on import duties for medical equipment amongst others.

Those in the NMA delegation included Prof Rasaaq Adebayo ( 1st Vice President), Dr Daiyabu Alhaji Ibrahim ( 2nd Vice President), Dr Ekpe Philips Uche ( Secretary General), Dr Saliu Olugbenga Oseni ( Deputy Secretary General), Dr Eric Azuka Anazodo ( National Treasurer)

– Dr Pobe Degri Jauro ( National Financial Secretary), Dr Aniekeme Aniefiok Uwah ( National Publicity Secretary), Prof Francis Adedayo Faduyile ( Immediate Past President), Dr Olumuyiwa Peter Odusote ( Immediate Past Secretary General), Prof Wole Atoyebi ( Past President), Dr Omede Idris ( Past President), Prof Ibrahim Yakassai mni( Chairman, Committee of Provosts), Dr Mininim Oseji ( President, MWAN), Dr Mairami Fatima Zara ( Chairman, Committee on Ethics), and Dr Nankling Lamu ( Chairman, Committee on Programmes and Protocols)

Source:- Vanguard

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