Resident physicians seek funding from the health sector

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has called for increased funding for the health sector to improve the quality of healthcare in the country.

NARD President Dr. Innocent Orji said this Saturday at the end of the three-day meeting of the association’s National Executive Council in Uyo.

Nigeria’s news agency reports that the meeting was tagged ‘Uyo 2023’ with the theme of ‘Improved well-being of healthcare workers: a panacea for brain drain (political and doctor’s perspectives)’.

Orji, who said the increase should be equivalent to 15 percent of the annual budget allocation, added that it would be in line with the 2001 Abuja statement on health care financing in Africa and global best practices.

He said NARD’s NEC also urged the Federal Department of Health to take faster action to curb the brain drain by implementing the “one-to-one” policy for the replacement of abandoned doctors and clinical staff .

“NEC welcomes the commission set up by the federal government to counter the brain drain in the health sector.

“The association is urging the swift completion of the task and the immediate implementation of their recommendations to improve the delivery of health care and reduce the emigration of skilled health workers from the country.

“NEC is calling for more funding to the country’s healthcare sector, amounting to a 15 percent annual budget allocation in line with the 2001 Abuja Declaration on Healthcare Financing in Africa and global best practices.

“(We also advocate) the digitization of healthcare to improve the quality of healthcare provided to Nigerian citizens,” said Orji.

He said that in its resolution, the NEC urged the Chief Medical Directors of tertiary hospitals in the country to take responsibility for safety in their various hospitals as NARD would no longer stand by as its members were attacked by workers, relatives of patients or security agents.

He said the association has called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, to investigate and arrest the perpetrators of the illegal shooting of one of its members in Delta and ensure they are adequately punished to deter others. to frighten.

“We demand that the affected physician be adequately compensated for the trauma and that the damaged vehicle be replaced. NEC gives the IGP two weeks to get this done as we would assess the situation after the two weeks had passed; the situation and our position would be taken afterwards if the response is not satisfactory,” he said.

Orji said the NEC has called on the National Assembly to enact laws that protect the lives and well-being of doctors and health care workers as the number of attacks against its members inside and outside hospitals has been alarming.

He called on the Federal Government, the Nigerian Governors Forum and all stakeholders to urge the Governors of Abia, Ondo and Ekiti to urgently pay the back salaries and allowances to its members.

NAN