IN their bid to ameliorate the impact of an impending flood disaster in the country, doctors, under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), have developed a plan on how to address the public and mental health implications.

 

  The doctors, at the annual general meeting and scientific conference of the Edo State branch of NMA held at the weekend, said that among other things, it would institute a trust fund, comprehensive welfare scheme, free health checks for doctors during all NMA national activities, as well as institute a maiden NMA Doctors Games/Sports Week slated for January 20 to 28, 2014 in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital.

 

   NMA President, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, urged the Governor Adams Oshiomhole-led Edo State government to act now in order to attract medical experts and arrest the internal brain-drain in the state’s health sector by implementing the 100 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Scheme (CONMESS) for doctors and 100 per cent Consolidated Health Salary Scheme (CONHESS) for other health workers.

 

  This was coming about four years after the salary structures came into place, and after several promises by the state government. The theme of the Edo NMA Conference was, “Flood disasters: Edo State Experience - Looking ahead,” with focus on “Public health implications of flood disasters” and “Mental health challenges of flood disasters - the role of doctors and other stakeholders.” 

 

  According to Enabulele, “The themes are very germaine considering the immense effect of climate change and flood disasters on the health, socio-political, economic and cultural prosperity of citizens of the world, particularly human populations in developing African countries, including Nigeria.

 

  “The impact of the unmitigated flood disaster that challenged many Nigerian communities last year is a reminder to us all to take issues of climate change and flood disaster more seriously and pro-actively, especially with the prediction that 2013 may even be worse if we do not positively act, individually and collectively. 

 

  “I, therefore, commend the Edo State government and the NMA for instituting more pro-active measures, including making the issues subject of discussion at this AGM and scientific conferences.”

 

  Enabulele lamented that disasters in the country are mainly man-made and attributable to inept leadership, negative political character and the insensate disposition of the political class, brazen and unbridled acts of corruption, poor adherence to the rule of law and the unprecedented degradation of the country’s God-given environment. 

 

  He added: “The ongoing retrogression in Nigeria, which undoubtedly are attributable to the conflicting interests of the political class that cares less for the ordinary man on the streets of Nigeria, are a testimony to the fact that if nothing is constructively and actively done individually and collectively, greater disasters lie ahead.” 

 

  On the non-implementation of doctors’ and health workers’ salaries, Enabulele said: “While we also commend the state government’s efforts to engineer infrastructure upgrade of health facilities in Edo State, we wish to fervently appeal to the comrade governor to take a critical look at the evidently low morale and sad state of the medical and health workforce in the state public health institutions. 

 

  “This state of despondency, which definitely cannot lead to any commendable level of productivity, is attributable to the non-implementation of 100 per cent CONMESS for doctors and 100 per cent CONHESS for other health workers, almost four years after the salary structures came into place, and after several promises by the Edo State government.

 

  “As workers who have been religiously paying their taxes, they deserve to be encouraged and motivated so that they can be more committed to the delivery of quality health care services in Edo rather than exit in droves to other states of Nigeria where better salaries are paid. The state needs to act now to attract medical experts and arrest the internal brain-drain in the state’s health sector.” 

 

  He assured the governor that both the state and national bodies of the NMA are committed to a robust, constructive partnership with the state government to ensure that Edo moves up the ladder in terms of its Health Quality Performance Index and ranking. 

 

  Enabulele noted that as part of their national response to this critical challenge, and in recognition of the popular saying, “Physician heal thyself”, the association has since last year commenced the faithful implementation of some strategies aimed at promoting the health and wellbeing of Nigerian doctors. 

 

According to him, this includes “health promotion campaigns and talks delivered to our members, planned institution of a trust fund, comprehensive welfare scheme, free health checks for doctors during all national activities of the NMA, as well as institution of the maiden NMA Doctors Games/Sports Week billed for Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, from January 20 to 28, 2014.”