NAN-HG-7
NARD
By Benson Ezugwu
Calabar, July 26, 2017 (NAN) The National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD), on Wednesday called for adequate funding of Post Graduate Medical Education in Nigeria to boost the health sector.
NARD President, John Onyebueze, said this in Calabar at the opening of a two-day National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the association with theme, “Funding Post Graduate Medical Education, A Panacea to Medical Tourism”.
Onyebueze said that proper funding of the post graduate medical education was a panacea to medical tourism and a guarantee for effective healthcare delivery system in the country.
He said that the theme of the meeting was more apt than, more so that the country’s health sector was in need of increased funding for residency training programme among others.
“The country has lost huge sums of money in medical tourism and brain drain, ‘’ he said.
Onyebueze said that NARD had sponsored a bill on restructuring of and legislation in the health sector at the House of Representatives.
He said the aim was to find lasting solution to the poor funding of post graduate programmes and other serious issues.
NARD president said that the bill, when passed into law, would put to rest constant abuse of the resident training programmes by some health institutions and organisations.
“It will also improve funding of postgraduate medical education with resultant quality medical research, education and healthcare services.
“This will in the long run forestall brain drain and reverse the medical tourism. ‘’
NARD President stated that, universal health coverage, as part of the basic needs of a nation, could only be achieved through a well structured residency programme.
Mrs Inyang Asibong, Commissioner for Health, Cross River, while declaring the event open said the state government was doing a lot to improve the working conditions of health workers.
She also stressed the need for adequate funding of the health sector, adding that ` a healthy nation is a wealthy nation.’’
Mrs Onari Duke, former first Lady of Cross River, in her address, said that inadequate budgetary provisions for the sector was responsible for fund challenge facing the sector.
Duke called on the three tiers of government to brace up and face the challenges facing the health sector.
She said that although doctors by their profession were called to serve, there was the need for them to be equipped to carry out their calling diligently and efficiently.
Duke said that there was little resident doctors could do in the face of the present poor working condition they found themselves.
“Even though it is a call to serve, it is practically impossible to cope in the present situation in the hospitals without proper funding.
“The government budget must have to make provision for adequate funding of post graduate medical schools, ‘’ she said. (NAN)
BEN/BOLA/DUA
Edited by Bola Akingbehin/Dada Ahmed