NMA National Executive Council Meeting 2018:

...NMA AKS wins hosting right, calls on AKHA for support
. …..Appeals For Payment of arrears and subvention to medical superintendents   
          
By Innocent Imoh                                           


To ensure closer ties with government, as a means of enhancing qualitative health care delivery, the chairman NMA, AKS branch, Dr Nsikak Nyoyoko FWACS  and members of his state officers committee have paid a courtesy  visit to the Speaker , Akwa ibom State House Of Assembly (AKHA), Rt Hon Onofiok Luke at the assembly complex in Uyo.
                                                               

In his presentation, Dr Nyoyoko gave a pass mark to Governor Udom Emmanuel for the huge investment in infrastructural development in the health sector.               

He mentioned the renovation and equipping of Hospitals across the state and the assent of the Governor to Health Bills including the Akwa Ibom State insurance scheme bill and subsequent set up of the Primary Health Care Development Agency board as worthy of commendation.     

         

The NMA however called for a speedy implementation of the Akwa Ibom State Health Insurance Bill to cover people below the poverty line who find it difficult to pay for healthcare services as at least 89 million Nigerians live below the poverty line.

Dr Nsikak Nyoyoko enumerated areas of great concern to the association as being the 14 months salary arrears of the 2014 owed doctors spanning November 2014 to December 2015
* 6 months CONMESS arrears from June to December 2015.
*4 months salary arrears owed recently employed medical officers, from January to April 2018.
* 2 months, 50% salary arrears owed doctors in AKSU.
*Absence of Call rooms in some hospitals,
* Lack of sponsorship for training, delay in promotions,
* The non-release of subvention for running cost to Medical Superintendents of hospital etc. 

The NMA chairman noted that the association had been assisting the government through free medical outreaches, sensitization programmes and effective healthcare services and had refused to call industrial actions despite being owed.

Dr Nsikak Nyoyoko used the occasion of the courtesy visit to invite the speaker to the NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (NEC) MEETING of NMA, tagged ‘Mbono ke Isong Enwongo’  holding  in UYO, December 2018 .   
                                                               
He revealed that the entire leadership of doctors from all over the country led by the National President of NMA and his Executive officers as well as the Executive officers of all 36 states and the FCT, all leadership of affiliate bodies and other members of the medical profession were equally expected to attend the NEC in Uyo.                 


He solicited the presence of the Speaker and the government at the week-long event which would attract economic development, improve tourism in the state as well as further expose the positives of the present State Government particularly within the health sector. 

Responding, The Speaker , Akwa Ibom State House Assembly, Rt Hon Onofiok Luke congratulated Dr Nsikak Nyoyoko and his exco for emerging leaders of the association.                                          He noted that the partnership between the NMA and AKHA had produced legislations that had positively affected healthcare delivery in AKS.                                   

He expressed hope that arrears owed doctor would be cleared soonest as he would present the issue others bedeviling the health sector to the governor.                     

 The speaker thanked the NMA for commending Governor Udom Emmanuel on his strides in the health sector including the assent to health bills.                               

Speaker Luke promised to support the building of the conference center at the Doctor’s Mess while also promising government’s support towards the hosting of the NMA NEC meeting billed for uyo in December 2018.