Privatise nation’s tertiary healthcare centres, NMA tells FG

 

AWKA, Nigeria – President of Nigerian Medical Association NMA Dr Ojinmah Uche has called on the federal government to privatize all the Tertiary Healthcare centres in the country for effective delivery.

According to him, this would help to reduce mass emigration of Nigerian Medical Doctors to foreign land.

Ojinmah made the call at the weekend in a paper titled, ‘Mass Emigration of Doctors & Other Healthcare Workers : The Origin, the Challenges & Solution’ during opening ceremony of the Anambra State 2023 Nigerian Medical Association NMA general meeting/ scientific conference held in Awka Anambra state.

 

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He said that a private health sector driven health care system with government support and an enabling environment will over time stop brain drain and may even initiate brain gain in Nigeria.

He suggested, “51 % of shares be sold to core investors who become majority shareholders and are thus responsible for day to day running of the institutions, fixing of salary, hiring and firing and make sure it turns in profits after tax.

“Thirty percent (30%) should be retained by the federal government so as to maintain some control as it pertains to price and policy of the institutions thereby protecting the masses. This shall be sold to core investors after five years because it would have been set and stable by then.

“Nineteen percent (19%) of the shares should be sold to workers so as to strengthen their commitment to the institutions on which they now partly own and shall beside salaries earn as dividends as approved by annual general meeting of the stakeholders”, he said.

He also called for a Healthcare Development Bank, HBD with single digits loan interest to facilitate the development of the health sector in the country.

According to him,the single digits loan shall have moratorium of five for repayment.
Ojinmah further suggested that the original verified degree certificates and certificate of indemnity from NMA shall serve as collateral for accessing the loans.

He also advised the government to provide guidance on setting up multi specialist hospitals by doctors with special facilities, targeting multi specialist centre.

According to him, Nigeria can no longer afford to sit idle, while her brightest and best exited in droves as this leaves the health sector in tatters. The NMA president also called for the return of mandatory one year oversee clinical attachment as part of residency training programme.

“There shall be properly organised and timed recruitment of resident doctors devoid of underhanded practice.

“Full implementation of the National Health Act and Medical Residency Training Act. Adequate salary package which should match the standard of developed nations, tax free with attachments of car loan, paid medical check up,like they do for judges,free children education with maximum of four and paid holidays trip per annum” he said.