Posted on: Mon 07-09-2020

MEDICAL AND DENTAL CONSULTATIONS’ ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN (MDCAN) NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL (NEC) MEETING HELD FROM 2ND – 6TH SEPTEMBER, 2020 AT BABALE SUITES, KANO, KANO STATE, NIGERIA. 

COMMUNIQUE

PREAMBLE

The MDCAN National Executive Council meeting was held from the 2nd to 6th September, 2020. The theme of the conference was "Medical Practice in the era of Emerging Infectious Disease". 

The opening ceremony was chaired by Prof. Ibrahim Adamu Yakasai, the Provost College of Health Sciences, Bayero University Kano represented by the Deputy Provost Prof. Aliyu Abdu. Hajia Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, the Honourable Commissioner for Higher Education, Kano State was Special Guest of Honour while the Chief Host Prof. Adulrrahaman Abba Sheshe, Chief Medical Director of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano declared the meeting open. 

The theme lecture was delivered by Dr. Ibrahim Nashabarua former commissioner for health in Jigawa state, head of Infectious disease unit and Deputy Director, African Centre of Excellence for Population Health and Policy (ACEPAHAP), Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital/Bayero University Kano, Dr. Sani Aliyu, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Task force on COVDI-19 discussed the journey so far in the control of COVID-19 in Nigeria. Prof. M. M. Borodo, the President of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria presented a critical analysis of the ethical and legal implications of Telemedicine in the context of Nigeria. 

The NEC meeting which was attended by 280 delegates from 57 branches across the length and breadth of the country deliberated on numerous issues germane to health care delivery in Nigeria and the welfare of members.

During the meeting, the NEC observed as follows: 

• That the national response to COVID -19 pandemic has been robust despite the limited resources available to the country. We commend the spirited efforts of the federal Government and its agencies especially the federal ministry of health, the Nigeria centre for disease control, and the presidential task force on COVID-i.9 as well as State and local Governments for the efforts that have resulted in the successes thus far achieved. We also particularly commend the tremendous efforts of organised private sector, International Agencies and Non-Governmental Organisations for their contributions to the successes. 
• We also note with concern the shabby response of the governments of a few states (particularly Kogi and Cross-River states) to the pandemic which has led to uncertainty and apprehension in those communities. It is regrettable that as a result of this, the major federal tertiary health institution in Kogi, the Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja, has been rendered virtually non-functional in the midst of this pandemic. 
• We salute the sacrifice and dedication to duty of our colleagues and other health workers who remain tenaciously at the frontline of the battle to control the rampaging virus. We condole with families of our colleagues who succumbed to the virus while in active service as well as with the families of other individuals who also died on account of the virus and pray for the repose of their souls.
• We acknowledge the decline in the report of new cases of COVID-19 across the country. This reflects a flattening of the epidemiological curve of the disease, and is a testament to the robust and energetic response mounted in response to the pandemic from the very onset of its arrival in the shores of Nigeria. 
• That the security challenges across the nation remains a source of major concern. We note with dismay rising incidents of murders and kidnappings of doctors and other members of the public in the past few months. In recent times we have been jolted by the gruesome murder of our colleague Dr. Enoch Okpara in his home in Gusau, Zamfara state, the kidnappings of our colleague's wife and daughter in Southern Kaduna, the kidnap of colleagues in Delta, Cross Rivers, Ondo states and Abuja. Such horrific crimes among other factors worsen the current wave of brain drain of health personnel from in the country. 
• We observe with dismay and deep sense of disappointment the failure of Government to live up to its responsibility in regard to the payment of COVID-19 hazard allowance to all health workers as agreed to and approved by the President. We note that this agreement was willingly negotiated and entered into by all concerned in good faith during the heat of the pandemic. It is only reasonable and honourable to ensure its full implementation.

After a very exhaustive and robust deliberations, the NEC came to the following resolutions: 

1. That the efforts at controlling COVID-19 as coordinated by the Presidential Task Force is yielding satisfactory results thus far and should be maintained to ensure consolidation of the successes recorded. We call for caution even as the economy is gradually fully reopened. We implore the general public to take personal responsibility for their own health and adhere to the non-pharmacological methods of control as contained in periodic advisories. With the full reopening of the airspace and schools, care must be taken to avoid a second wave of the pandemic in Nigeria. 
2. That federal governments should as a matter of priority ensure the payment of all outstanding COVID-19 hazard allowances to all persons entitled to such to prevent avoidable restiveness in the health sector at this critical period. It is pertinent to state that should government(s) fail to do this, disruption of service in the healthcare sector could occur and this may lead to a reversal of the successes so far achieved and a resurgence of the this dreadful disease. We call on all state government to equally match the efforts of the federal government by ensuring that they provide COVID-19 related allowances and reliefs for health personnel in their employment as these are equally at risk.
3. 3. That there is need for the restructuring and reinvigoration of the security architecture of the country to combat the floundering current security situation. It is in our view that this is one very important step towards reclaiming our country from people bent on keeping our national and personal lives permanently disrupted. Particular attention should be paid to the security situation in parts of Kaduna state and other hot spots in the country. 
4. It is regrettable that the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has been once again forced to resort to strike to compel government to abide by its own commitment in paying outstanding COVID-19 hazard allowances and other arrears of remunerations. The government should be held squarely responsible for any disruption of services resulting from its failure to do so. We urge government to as a matter of urgency, meet up all the promises it made concerning the COVID-19 allowances as the health workers have evidently discharged their duties diligently as indicated by the sustained downward trend in COVID-19 infections. We warn that any strike at this period is capable of reversing the gains so far achieved in the control of the current COVI D-19 pandemic in Nigeria.
5. 5. We reecho our call on the Kogi state government to live up to its responsibilities to its citizens by immediately bringing itself in line with the national protocols on COVID-19 control. We urge the federal government to prevail on the Government of Kogi State to create the ambience for the resumption of services at FMC Lokoja to mitigate the adverse effects of the pandemic in that environment. We hold the Kogi state Government responsible for the protection of lives and properties of our members and other health personnel providing services in health facilities located in that state.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 

MDCAN expresses her profound gratitude to the Kano state government, the Hon. Commissioner of Higher Education, Hajia Dr. Mariya Mahmoud, the Vice Chancellor of Bayero University, Kano, Prof Sagir Adamu Abbas, the Chief Medical Director of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano, Prof Abudrrahaman Abba Sheshe, the Provost, College of Health Sciences, BUK, Prof Ibrahim Adamu Yakasal and the Medical Director, National Orthopaedic Hospital, Dala Dr Muhammad Nuhu Salihu. The Association is also grateful to the theme speakers Dr Ibrahim Nashabaru, Prof M. M. Borodo, the President National Postgraduate Medical College and Dr. Sani Aliyu, the National Coordinator of the Presidential Task force on COVDI-19 for taking time out of their respective busy schedules to be with us at the opening ceremony. On behalf of the entire membership of MDCAN, the National Officers' Council (NOC) expresses our gratitude to the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital chapter of our Association for hosting this event.

Signed:

Prof. Ken Ozoilo                               Dr. Moses Chingle

President                                            Secretary General 

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