JUST IN: NMA decries shortage of doctors in Kogi, poor welfare package

The Kogi chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), has decried the shortage of qualified medical doctors in secondary and tertiary health institutions and the poor welfare package for doctors in the state.

The association also decried the delay in the payment of monthly salaries of doctors of the state’s Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, and Prince Abubakar Audu Teaching Hospital, Anyigba.

This was contained in Communiqué issued by the association at the end of its Ordinary General Meeting (OGM), with the theme, “Retire Early, Retire Ready”, on Saturday in Lokoja.

The communique was jointly signed by Dr Baoku Olusola and Dr Emmanuel Kelvin, its Chairman and Secretary, respectively.

“We are dismayed by the human resource and manpower gaps in various health institutions at all levels in Kogi state; this is not a good omen for the health sector in the state.

“We are urging the state government to recruit more qualified doctors, to fill up available gaps in various health institutions in the state and ensure regular payments of salaries of doctors and other health workers in a specialist hospital, Lokoja and  Prince Abubakar Audu Teaching Hospital, Anyigba.

“We appeal to the governor of the state to approve and implement various welfare packages for doctors in the state, including but not limited to the new hazard allowance,”NMA appealed

The association, however, commended Gov. Yahaya Bello, for the giant strides and investing heavily in the provision of critical infrastructures in various health institutions in the state.

It also appealed to the governor to support three of its members who are critically sick and currently taking treatment in various locations