Nigeria: Former NMA President Urges Doctors, Government Partnership for better healthcare delivery

Former National President of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Osahon Enabulele yesterday called for synergy between medical practitioners and government for better healthcare delivery to the people. He made this call at the conference of the Association of General Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGMPN) in the state. Speaking as a Guest Speaker on the theme: ” Achieving Universal Health Coverage In A Developing Country: Nigeria As A Case Study”, Enabulele said in view of what the body stands to achieve, he prays Edo state government is able to find good footing with Private Medical Practitioners. “They have done excellently well. I’m proud of them. In view of what they proposed to do with the Edo State Social Insurance Scheme, they will find immense partnership with AGMPN. “And indeed private practitioners are major stakeholders in advancing access to medical care especially in the light of Universal Health Coverage and it must be encourage.” On his part, the state commissioner for health Dr David Osifo who represented the Deputy Governor, Phillip Shaibu said health is very dear to the present administration noting that the government will continue to work closely with health institutions so as to enable it to take it to another level.” The theme is very apt and well captured. We are on the same page. Without private practitioners we couldn’t have booast of having universal health coverage. We are glad associating with you. “The position maintained by private practitioners remained very vital and dear to us. We want to encourage you to continue to do more so that we can all attain that universal health coverage together. Health is wealth. Without it no society can functions properly. The Medical Director, Central Hospital Benin, Dr. Philip Ugbodaga, who spoke on the Sub theme: Common Oro-facial Diseases: Causes and Management Strategies” , said there is need for sustainable health practices in the state. “Well, it has been a very wonderful experience because private practitioners are an important arm of the medical family in terms of having to bring health-care to the grassroots. What has happened is that they have continued to play their role with so much distinction. ” Looking at Universal Health Coverage from the perpective that health is wealth there is need for collaborative efforts in order to sustain it. No matter how well organised anywhere in the world it must try to assist its people in terms of infrastructural development and other amenities. One must be in a state of health to enjoy those things. ” If you have a mental health coverage where people are healed there won’t be need to wait for out of budget expenditure before they can access healthcare. And coming at a time the current state Government is in the process of kick starting the grand scheme. This conference could not come at a better time than now, ” he said. The Chief Host, Dr. Otamere Aigbongun JP, in his closing speech thanked the participants for the conference saying he feels elated having them in attendance for the one day meeting in lieu of the challenges faced by private health practitioners in the state.