₦airaland Forum

By Joseph Jibueze
The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) has stopped doctors from appearing before the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) over malpractice allegations.

The FCCPC had organised a public hearing to investigate issues involving medical practitioners over “possible violations of patient/consumer rights under the Federal Competitions and Consumer Protection Act 2018, and other laws in providing medical attention/urgent care”.

But the MDCN, in a June 14 letter by its Registrar, Dr T.A.B. Sanusi to FCCPC Executive Vice-Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, a copy of which The Nation obtained yesterday, said no doctor would appear before any panel set up by the agency.

“As you are aware, the Council is the statutory body with the mandate for the regulation of the professions and practice of medicine and dentistry in Nigeria. We note that the subject of your intended investigation, as stated in your release, relates purely to allegations of misconduct in professional respect by registered medical practitioners while attending to a patient.

“An investigation of this nature conducted by your Commission is an encroachment on the statutory mandate of the Council as provided by Section 15(3) of the Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Act, and contrary to Section 18(i) of Federal Competitions and Consumer Protection Act 2018.

“We also note that the proposed format of your investigation would put registered medical practitioners in the untenable position to violate the rights of a patient to confidentiality even after their demise, a very serious offence under the Code of Medical Ethics in Nigeria 2008 edition.

‘’Pursuant to the foregoing, the Council has directed all registered medical practitioners and dental surgeons in Nigeria not to participate in your investigation of June 10, 2021, or any other date pending further directives,” Sanusi stated.

Source: https://thenationonlineng.net/mdcn-stops-doctors-from-appearing-before-fccpc/

Tajudeen Yusuf, a house of representatives member from Kogi, has appealed to Osagie Ehanire, minister of health, to reopen the federal medical centre in the state.

The medical centre has been closed since July after an attack by thugs.

The thugs disrupted a press conference where the management of the hospital was planning to request for a COVID-19 screening centre and speak on challenges faced by the medical institution.

The hoodlums also vandalised some parts of the hospital.

In a statement on Friday, Yusuf said the closure of the hospital “has meant more deaths for patients whose health complications would have been better managed at FMC Lokoja”.

“Four months ago, FMC Lokoja, the only federal health facility in the confluence state offering quality, professional services to indigenes and residents in the state, was closed on the orders of the federal ministry of health following an alleged invasion of the hospital by thugs,” the legislator said.

“Since then, our people have been travelling all the way to Abuja or Akure, Ibadan and Lagos for health conditions that could otherwise be treated at FMC Lokoja; patients with prior medical appointments now face the rigours of travelling, even at the risk of further complicating their health challenges.

“Many indigent patients are now forced to live in precarious conditions and several of those who can afford the trips to Abuja or other cities face increased likelihood of death.

“People from all three senatorial districts and seven federal constituencies in Kogi State are stridently appealing to the conscience of the Minister and others in authority for the re-opening of FMC, Lokoja.

“The centre has some of the best hands in most fields of medical care, including expert eye surgeons and one of the very best cardiologists in Nigeria.”

The lawmaker added that the “senselessness of a few irrational elements” should not be the basis for which Kogi residents are punished.

https://thecable.ng/patients-are-dying-rep-begs-ehanire-to-reopen-kogi-medical-centre

Doctors under the aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have suspended their strike.

The doctors on Thursday also said the current discussions with the government on how to resolve the issues will continue on Friday by 8 a.m.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the doctors began a nationwide “indefinite strike” on Monday as the nation continues to battle the deadly coronavirus.

The NARD president, Aliyu Sokomba, had confirmed this development to PREMIUM TIMES.

He said the doctors decided to embark on strike due to the failure of the government to meet their requests made in June.
The doctors had in June downed tools over unpaid salaries, non-payment of hazard allowance, and a dearth of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in hospitals, among several other reasons.
The one-week-long strike was suspended to give the federal and state governments time to fulfill the outstanding demands following an appeal by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Kayode Fayemi and other stakeholders.

PREMIUM TIMES also reported how the government, in the heat of the faceoff, threatened to cancel the doctors’ residency programme.

The meeting between the two parties which held Wednesday in Abuja between ended in a deadlock with the government threatening to revoke the residency programme.

Full details later…

Source: https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/413689-just-in-nigerian-doctors-call-off-strike.html

No fewer than four medical doctors have left Kogi State civil service as a result of non-payment of salary and poor remuneration.

Kogi State chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Dr Omakoji Oyiguh disclosed this on Wednesday, at a familiarization visit to the State Council of Ulamua.

Dr Oyiguh who was elected new chairman of NMA in August 2020 said the problem has continued to depeen as more doctors are threatening to leave as soon as they have better opportunities elsewhere.
The chairman who expressed worries on this development noted that the Kogi State Government should give utmost priority to the welfare of health workers to prevent mass exodus of doctors from the state’s civil service.

” The issue of strike is not what I want my own administration to welcome. I would want to be very proactive in discussing with government to ensure that things do not reach the level where doctors will be frustrated to go on strike. This will create crisis in the health system of Kogi State.

"Salaries have been reversed over and over again since 2009, 2014 and now there is minimum wage. Kogi State is still at the lowest level of 2004. So, the doctors are not happy that their salaries compared to their counterparts in FMC is about half, and compared to their counterparts also in other states.

“As at yesterday, four doctors left the service of the Kogi State Government. So they are leaving en-mass, and we cannot afford to say nothing is wrong. Things are going wrong and we are not happy this is also happening under my leadership. We can’t count the number of doctors that have quit the services of the state. This does not speak well of the confluence state. I’m just two months old in this office.

"This cannot continue. I just have to cry out now before things get out of hands. Whatever the governor can do, to avert further loss of our doctors to other state, he should please do it before things get out of hands. As he is celebrating his victory at the supreme court, he should extend that celebration to bring smiles to the faces of doctors in the service of the government of Kogi State,” he added.

Responding, the State secretary, Kogi State Council of Ulamau Alhaji Babango Idris called on the association to stop the activities of quack doctors in the state.

According to him, the council will continue to synergize with NMA towards the protection of medical facilities and doctors in Kogi State.

Source: https://dailypost.ng/2020/09/09/doctors-quit-kogi-govt-job-over-poor-remunerations/

.