Private Medical Practitioners have called on the Federal Government to urgently establish a Health Intervention Fund that would enable medical practitionersin reposition the country's healthcare system.

 

The medical doctors argued that the establishment of the intervention funds have become imperative following the current harsh economic condition of the country which they said has put the medical practitioners at disadvantage.

 

Addressing a press conference shortly after a two-day National Executive Council Meeting of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, AGPM PN, National President of the Association held in Lagos, Dr. Frank Odafeb saud the Federal Government has the responsibility to ensure that medical entrepreneurs are helped to overcome what he described as "strangulating" period.

 

Odafen explained that the fund when established would assist medical practitioners, particularly, those in private sector to develop and upgrade their facilities as well as build the capacity of their personnel.

 

"The socii economic environment is really strangulating. We are calling on government to help us with health intervention funds as obtains in other vital sectors of the economy such as entertainment, housing and agriculture.

 

 

If man is the prime mover of the economy and the private doctor is the one taking care of the man, a healthy populace is the only populace that can create wealth and proseperity for the nation, It therefore becomes very imperative, compelling and desirable for government to submit to the national assembly an executive bill at both state and federal levels devoting significant aspect of budget to health intervention funds so that doctors can have access to fund for the development and upgrading of their facilities and the personnel that work in the hospital."

 

He further posited that the fund would help in stepping down the very bad health vital statistics as it affects the country.

 

" We should remember that we in private practice are helping government in absolving unemployed Nigerians; we are inherently helping government to wipe away social vices," he stated.

 Declaring their support for the admininstration of President Mohammed Buhari, he urged Governments at all levels to create conducive environment for them to practice their profession with sense of fulfill and profitability.

 

"Government should step down multiple taxations and lower the bar for dues and fees for registration. They should collaborate with private medical practitioners by ensuring that they help in capacity building of private medical practitioners and in infrastructural development of their facilities."

 

Infrastructural Development 

"We have resolved to support the government in their quest to ensure that Nigeria becomes one of the reference centres amongst the comity of nations in terms of accessible, universal, qualitative and acceptable healthcare delivery.

 

 He said already the association is reviewing policies and strategies fashion out strategies that would ensure that healthcare delivery in Nigeria is at its best.

 

Odafen however urged the general public to see doctors as their friend and protect them wherever they are practicing; alleging that doctors have become in recent times victims of kidnappers.

 

By Chioma Obinna 

Vanguard