Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has called for harsh punishment for healthcare personnel who endanger citizens lives through stealing of supplies and fraud in the guise of poor remuneration.
Otti said that poor remuneration should not be an excuse for any professional healthcare worker to endanger citizens’ lives through fraud and stealing of supplies.
He disclosed this during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Abia Physicians Week at the International Conference Centre, Umuahia.
Otti said there was the need to stop corruption and strike action in the Healthcare Sector because they are against Physicians Oath and endanger lives.
He said Nigeria needed to extract some compensation from countries taking away Nigerian doctors to discourage the trend.
The governor suggested that such funds should be used to improve health facilities in the country.
The Chairman of the event, Dr Azikiwe Ikeorha said doctors are soldiers in the fight against terrible diseases, hence their need to take better care of themselves in order to ably do their job.
He wished government could make healthcare workers’ salary structures to improve like those in the legal profession.
The first sub-theme lecture was presented by Abia Coordinator, World Health Organization (WHO) Dr Jinbrin Alkasim.
Alkasim, spoke on the topic “Mitigating the Impact of Infectious Diseases: Addressing the M-pox outbreak and beyond”.
He said that 34 cases of the disease were reported in Abia but only two cases were confirmed.
Alkasim said that M-pox vaccines are currently in Nigeria but will be prioritized for healthcare workers and other vulnerable groups.
He urged doctors to collaborate and share information with themselves, the media and surveillance officers without hindrance as it helps to curtail spread of Infectious Diseases.
Alkasim represented by Dr Carol Iwuoha, a former Abia NMA Chairman, also told the doctors to encourage their patients to take vaccines to mitigate impact of some diseases.
The Abia Commissioner for Health and the Keynote Speaker, Prof Ogbonnaya Uche said the 2024 theme which speaks about remuneration is apt and addresses a germain issue in medical practice.
He said poor remuneration, insecurity, lack of medical facilities had helped brian drain, noting that it has reduced Abia’s doctors to 750 with 450 working with the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Umuahia.
Uche said the issues fueling brain drain must be addressed to stop the unfavorable trend.
He said that Otti has started attending to issues causing brain drain by paying accumulated salary arrears and ordering implementation of Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS).
He said the governor has also approved a plan that will ensure the training of doctors working for the state in world class health institutions abroad to improve their performance.
The NMA Chairman, Abia, Dr Ezinwa Ezurike thanked the governor for his strides in the health sector and urged him to reduce Abia workers tax which is the highest nationwide.
He reiterated the need for healthcare workers to medically care for themselves to be fit to take care of others.
In his vote of thanks, Dr Isaiah Abali, the past NMA Chairman appreciated God for making the day possible.
He also thanked the governor for his efforts towards improving the health sector, the health commissioner, NMA members, himself and others for working to actualize the week’s events
