NMA to brainstorm on tackling health emergencies, others
•‘ The nation’s health system must be fixed so that the rich and the poor would access quality health care’
TProf. Innocent A. O. Ujah is the President, Nigerian Medical Association ( NMA), a consultant obstetrician and gynaecological surgeon as well as the Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State. Ujah in this interview with CHUKWUMA MUANYA, ahead of the Association’s yearly general conference and delegates meeting schedule from May 15 to 22, 2022 in Port Harcourt, proffers solutions on how best to tackle health emergencies, particularly with the increasing incidence of emerging and re- emerging diseases, which have continued to ravage developing countries, including Nigeria.
The issues of medical brain has fundamental human
drain and medical tourism right to seek healthcare any
are rising in the country as where in the world.
more Nigeria- trained docIn response to the unbri
tors are going to United dled brain drain, NMA on
States ( U. S.), Saudi Arabia, April 4, 2022, organised the
and United Kingdom ( U. K.) first NMA lecture series with
etc. Why? What are the lattitle: brain drain and medical
est figures? What are the tourism: the twin evil in
main reasons for this? How Nigeria’s health system with
could these be remedied? impressive output and which HE current momentum is we believe will certainly emigration to developed impact positively on the countries, where the condiFederal Government’s policy tions of services and remuon brain drain and medical neration are far better than tourism. It has now resulted Nigeria. There is the “pull” in national health emerfactor and the “push” factor. gency for strategic and
The pull factors include appropriate intervention. good remuneration, security The national and sub- nationand safety of lives and propal governments must act erty, conducive work envivery quickly; otherwise, it will ronment with better and upbecome too late and difficult to- date equipment to work to reverse this national with. Good schools for our health tragedy. We intend to children, steady and unintercontinue the conversation at rupted energy supply and the 62nd yearly general conexcellent infrastructure like ference and delegates meetcommunications and transing of the NMA schedule for portation. May 15 to 22 in Port Harcourt,
The push factors include Rivers State. increasing and escalating insecurity through Boko
Haram, banditry, kidnappings and abductions,
Indigenous People of Biafra of Biafra ( IPOB) menace in the south East; poor take home pay, thoroughly dilapidating and obsolete medical equipment, inter- professional rivalry and very poor public utilities/ infrastructure like electricity, poor water supply, recurring strikes by
Academic staff of Union of
Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education leading to months of closure of universities, thereby interrupting academic activities in Nigeria’s public universities.
Is the NMA not concerned that Mr. President and other government officials/ politicians still go abroad for medical treatment?
NMA is certainly very concerned and it is therefore not sleeping over it. NMA has stated times without number that the nation’s health system must be fixed so that the rich and the poor would access quality health care in
Nigeria. NMA has severally kicked against government officials going abroad for medical treatment with public fund. However, anyone using his/ her personal fund
What is the theme of the Conference?
Current emergencies in building a resilient health system for Nigeria: Situation analysis and solutions with sub- themes.
What informed the theme?
The theme is informed by the weak and poor response to national health emergencies as witnessed from the containment of Lassa fever, cholera, Ebola and now COVID- 19 pandemic. It is therefore imperative that as scientists, and leader of health team, to brainstorm on how best to tackle health emergencies, particularly with the increasing incidence of emerging and reemerging diseases which have continued to ravage the developing countries, including Nigeria, with huge losses of the population to death and infirmity.
How far with the issue with Nigeria Universities Commission ( NUC), universities, PHD holders and medical doctors?
Two regulatory bodies of equal jurisdictions- the National Universities Commission ( NUC) and Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria ( MDCN) superintend over, medical education in Nigeria. The Fellowship of the various Postgraduate Medical colleges is the high
est known Postgraduate Medical Qualification anywhere in the world but then the highest degree in the University is PHD. The contention is the inability of some staff in NUC to come to terms with the peculiarities of Medical Education and fail to realise that acquisition of PHD by a medical Doctor without the Fellowship can never qualify such Doctor to be a Consultant and teach clinical medicine. PHD is not recognised in Clinical Medicine and therefore the Fellowship of National Postgraduate Medical college was uniquely designed to accommodate both professional as well as academic medical training. I therefore, advise the NUC to come to terms with the peculiarities of the Profession of Medicine. I am surprised that the authorities of NCU have failed to realise that if PHD were required in medicine, over 90 per cent doctors would obtain the PHD within three years without at all being immodest, because Doctors are among the very highly cerebral human beings and trained in many components in human endeavour. We need to continue to educate the “trouble shooters” in NUC to come to terms with medicine as a peculiar profession/ discipline.
What are your recommendations on how to fix healthcare in Nigeria?
The health system in Nigeria is riddled with very many issues and no one person can suggest how effectively to fix healthcare ( primary, secondary and tertiary health systems) in Nigeria. Perhaps, the health reform Committee under the leadership of His Excellency, the Vice- President would probably find the solution on how to fix the deplorable health system in Nigeria and improve the health indices.
If you were elected the next President of Nigeria, what would you do to fix the poor health indices recorded by the country?
I know, I will not be elected Nigeria’s President but if by miracle ( an illusion), I am elected Nigeria’s President, I will first fix Nigeria’s economy, health and education. These are drivers of development with strategic focus on human capital development as soon as it is possible.
As the outgoing President of NMA, what were the challenges, low points and achievements?
My administration came to office during the COVID19 - pandemic with lockdown being the common place. My manifesto predicated my administration to be based on high- level advocacy, constructive engagement, diplomacy, and consultation and building bridges across professional divides for smooth health care delivery to Nigerians. As a person, I do not give in to lamentation and therefore, despite several challenges, we moved on to see how to improve our health care system including the condition of service and remuneration of our members.
Would you say you met your targets? If yes how? If no, why?
I have assessed my performance in the past two years as NMA President, and without being seen to blow my trumpet, I will give myself 75 per cent ( which is a distinction), even though, nobody sees himself/ herself except by the use of a mirror. I have gone through all the items in my manifesto and I am left with very few items to accomplish, including reducing quackery in the medical profession ( 50 per cent), implementation of doctor’s stamps ( 40 per cent), Fellowship/ PHD ( 55 per cent).
The high point is effective high- level advocacy and constructive engagement ( 100 per cent), gender mainstreaming among female doctors ( 100 per cent) in participation in NMA activities, completion of negotiation and segregation of hazard allowance ( clinical and non- clinical) among health workers ( 100 per cent). Closing the inter- professional rivalry gap among members of National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, NANNM ( 70 per cent). This is the first time the history of NMA is being written and it is my administration that commissioned the project and will be presented/ launched at the AGM/ ADM in Port Harcourt on May 19, 2022; institution of maiden yearly NMA Lecture series, held on the April 4, 2022 with the topic, ‘ Brain Drain and Medical Tourism: the twin evil in Nigeria’s health system’ was a huge impactful success.
The commencement of the construction of NMA House is another area in my administration where I broke the jinx by the renovation of the NMA national secretariat, Abuja, for the first time since its acquisition in 2008.
Media engagement has been robust and superlative through which platform, NMA informs and educates Nigerians on health- related issues. On the whole, confidence building mechanism among the governments and Nigerian public increased the visibility, profile and relevance of the NMA and medical profession in national and international arena, with the election of the President of World Medical Association of one our members as the highest point in the achievement of my administration. During this period, the relationship between the MDCN and NMA was excellent with due respect and understanding established between the two bodies. I appreciate my senior colleague and Chairman of the Council, Prof. Abba Waziri, who gave me unprecedented regard as his president. I participated fully in the activities of MDCN, including the Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal ( MDPDT), during which some erring medical doctors were convicted for infamous conduct.
On the whole, it was a worthwhile experience and I am happy that I have led my professional Association for this period with impactful outcomes. A lot remains to be done as administration is continuum, but I feel fulfilled
Who is Innocent Ujah?
Ujah was born on November 6, 1954 and hails from Aidogodo- Okpoga, Okpokwu, Benue State. He studied medicine at Ahmadu Bello University ( ABU), Zaria and graduated in June 1978. He started working as a lecturer and consultant at University of Jos and Jos University Teaching Hospital in 1988. He became a professor in 2001.
Dr. Goodluck Jonathan in April 2010 appointed Ujah as the Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research ( NIMR) Yaba, Lagos. He was appointed as the pioneer Vice- Chancellor of the Federal University of Medical Science, Otukpo by Muhammadu Buhari on May 12, 2020. He was elected as the President of NMA in a virtual election on May 30, 2020, succeeding Dr. Francis Faduyile.
The theme is informed by the weak and poor response to national health emergencies as witnessed from the containment of Lassa fever, cholera, Ebola and now COVID- 19 pandemic. It is therefore imperative that as scientists, and leader of health team, to brainstorm on how best to tackle health emergencies, particularly with the increasing incidence of emerging and re- emerging diseases which have continued to ravage the developing countries, including Nigeria, with huge losses of the population to death and infirmity.