By Mohammed Suleiman, Dutse
Irked by poor remuneration of service, couple with dearth of doctors to mann major hospital’s across jigawa state, The Jigawa Chapter of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), has advocated for the domestication of Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) Act, as well as the Establishment of Hospitals Management Board for improved service delivery.
The State NMA Chairman, Dr. Abdulbasi Umar stated this while presenting their demands before the State House of Assembly through the Chairman Standing Committee on Health, Hon. Usman Abdullahi.
Highlights of the NMA presentations include equalization of doctors remuneration with that of the Federal Government health workers, calling for improved working condition, arrest of dearth of doctors in most of the state’s.healrh facilities, in-adequate shortage of qualified doctors and Nurses, medication, among others.
According to Dr. Umar, their visitation to theJigawa State House of Assembly was.nothing short of calling on the Government of jigawa state to critically look into the predicaments of ” our health sector in giving our hospitals a face lift in terms of addressing most of our critical needs.
“As the NMA, we have consistently taken a proactive role in advocating for solutions that address the challenges faced by our healthcare workers and institutions. Our recent engagements with policymakers, including the House Committee, demonstrate that we are not just raising concerns but actively working towards implementing solutions.
“Our goal is simple: to create an environment where doctors can perform at their best, and where the healthcare needs of the people are met with quality, efficiency, and compassion. To achieve this, we have presented several key proposals, including the domestication of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) Act, the establishment of a Hospital Management Board, and the need for equitable remuneration for doctors in the state by implementing the reviewed CONMESS salary structures as done in neighboring states, bringing their welfare in line with their Federal counterparts.
Similarly, the NMA has expressed concern on the issue of brain drain of doctors who are leaving the state for federal hospitals or private hospitals for greener posture, saying that a salary of a doctor in a federal hospital is twice than that of those in the state.
According to him, without these improvements, it would be challenging to attract and retain qualified medical personnel, which would ultimately
effect patient care in the state.
“One of the key demands from the NMA was the domestication of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) Act which aimed to providing financial support for resident doctors undergoing specialist training, saying the NMA believes that implementing it at the state level will significantly enhance the quality of healthcare services.
“The NMA also advocated for the establishment of a Hospital Management Board, which it believes would
streamline hospital administration, improve quality service delivery and ensure that healthcare facilities operate more
effectively,” Also quoted the House Committee Chairman on Health expressing strong support for the NMA’s demands and emphasized that Jigawa doctors should not be treated as “secondclass citizens” and deserve the same welfare packages as their counterparts in the federation.
“We firmly believe that the Governor of Jigawa State, who has shown himself to be a leader with a listening ear, will respond positively once he fully understands the pressing challenges we face. The NMA has confidence in his commitment to the welfare of Jigawa’s citizens, and we are sure that, with his support, these critical issues can be addressed swiftly and effectively” he concludes.