Come Sunday, 16th February, 2014 medical doctors from all the 36 states of Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory, shall storm the city of Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, for the `Maiden Nigerian Medical Doctors` Games` billed to hold from the 16th to the 22nd of February, 2014.

 

The national games was introduced by the current leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association as part of the overall strategy to promote quality healthcare delivery in Nigeria by ensuring that medical doctors/dentists remain physically, mentally and medically fit with improved health status and life expectancy, by indulging in sports and practicing what they preach to their patients.

 

The Games is expected to attract over one thousand medical doctors to the `destination city`, and shall feature football, Lawn tennis (male and female), table tennis (male and female), basket ball (male and female), badminton (male and female) scrabble (male and female), Chess (male and female) and draught (male). The opening ceremony will feature the Hon. Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu as Guest of Honour and the Executive Governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan (CON) as Special Guest of Honour.

 

Already the zonal competitions/play-offs to choose representatives from the six geo-political zones, Lagos and the host Chapter, Akwa Ibom have been held, with all eyes now focused on the final of the maiden national doctors` games billed for Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital from the 16th to the 22nd of February, 2014.

 

With the anticipated high standard of the games and the enthusiasm so far shown by doctors, as well as lots of coaches and scouts, the games promises to be an exciting and revealing event with lots of opportunities to discover athletes and talents that can help improve the current performance of Nigeria`s various national teams. We therefore invite all Nigerians, local and foreign scouts and coaches, including Coach Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, to come over to Uyo to discover abundant talents for Nigeria`s various national teams.

 

We also call on corporate Nigeria and governments at all levels to partner with the NMA in the organization of the games designed to ensure medical doctors remain physically, mentally and medically fit to deliver quality healthcare services.

 

The National Medical Doctors` Games is expected to eventually transform into a West African Medical Doctors` games with improved level of cooperation amongst doctors in the West African sub-region.

 

DR. OSAHON ENABULELE,

President, Nigerian Medical Association