Medical Association tasks FG, States to strengthen healthcare delivery in Nigeria
Emmanuel kehinde,Ilorin
The President of the Postgraduate Medical College Fellows’ Association,professor Akinsayaa Osibogun,on Tuesday advised the Federal and State governments to strengthen healthcare delivery in Nigeria through effective funding.
Osibogun stated this while speaking with newsmen on the sidelines of the the 17th Annual Scientific Conference and All Fellows’ Congress (ASCAF) in Ilorin.
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The Association is a body of Fellows of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria.
The theme of the programme is entitled: “‘Improving Health Care Financing In Nigeria’, with sub-theme; ‘Technology in Medicine and Public Private Partnership'”.
He also advised government to provide incentives to the skilled medical professionals to stop the wave at which the doctors are leaving Nigeria.
He observed that all around the world there is high demand for skilled professionals in the health sector especially in the UK, US and Canada.
“To retain your skilled professionals, you must give enough incentives to keep them here. And incentives are both financial and non financial,” he said.
The expert identified poor renumeration and lack of adequate infrastructure as major challenges confronting medical practitioners.
“We know that government alone can not do it. So, all stalkholders have to put in place mechanism to improve health sector and retain people we have trained in the country.
“The only way to retain them is by improving on their work environment so that all equipments and tools they need to render service would be available.
“Medical practitioners have to be well renumerated and the environment must be conducive to keep them in the country,” he said.
Osibogun observed that younger doctors are migrating out of the country, adding that we need those younger doctors to be available for us to train them to become specialists and remain in Nigeria.
“As a country, we need to come up with plans to ensure that required equipment are available geopolitically, statewide or by ward,” he advised.
He enjoined government at all tiers to improve on their remuneration for health care workers, conducive working environment and tools and equipment.
In his welcome address, Dr Foluwasayo Ologe, the Chairman, Local Organising Committee of the ASCAF conference stated that the theme of the programme is apt as there is need to improve health care financing in Nigeria.
According to him, there is need for public private partnership to support the healthcare system in the country.
Ologe who is a Professor of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Ilorin assert that the days of crude medicine is long gone as technology has taken over.
“A lot of technology goes into medicine. Through technology, robotic surgery helps in surgical intervention without the doctor being near the patient,” he said.
Speaking also Prof Adekunle Okesina, Consultant Chemical Pathologist of University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) explained that the primary function of the College is to produce specialists in all branches of medicine and dentistry.
According to him, it oversees the postgraduate medical education and training of pathologists in Nigeria through its Faculty of Pathology.
