The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) on Thursday decried the incessant kidnap of its members by criminal elements who demand high ransom in exchange for the victims.
Prof. Francis Fadeyile, the National President of the association, made the complaint at the “5th Annual General Meeting/Scientific Conference 2018″ organised by the Zamfara State chapter of the association.
Fadeyile, who described Nigerian doctors as “endangered species”, said that their members put in their best in saving human lives in spite of the security challenges at work within the community.
According to him, the same situation affects other health workers.
He noted that the situation called for more security to be provided to the doctors, so that they could perform their statutory duties with ease.
He said: “Even though the society perceived that the doctors are rich, if Kidnappers should kidnap 10 of our members now, we have to call for a meeting to raise the ransom and l can tell you we can hardly raise N500, 000 in order to rescue our colleagues.”
He announced that the union’s National Strategic Plan in the next two years would be the pursuance of the health insurance scheme for all in order to guarantee full health cover of the Nigerian citizens.
Earlier, while declaring the meeting open, the state Commissioner of Health, Alhaji Lawali Liman, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Habibu Yelwa, said that the state government had completed arrangements to offer scholarship to pre-clinical students from the state.
He added that clinical students would be enrolled into the state civil service on Grade level 07, to ensure their stay in the state after graduation.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the theme of this year’s meeting is “Safe Medical Practice in a Security Challenged Environment”.
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