The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria NAHCON, has Inaugurated National Medical Team for the 2023 hajj operations.
NAHCON Chairman Alhaji Zikrullah Hassan, at the inauguration in Abuja, the nation’s capital, congratulated the successful Medical Team members for the special grace of scaling the selection out of over 10,000 applicants where only 230 members are required.
the verification.
Principal officers led by Dr Usman Galadima of Federal Ministry of Health, who is also the Chief of Medical Operations of the National Medical Team (NMT), screened documents of the successful Doctors, Pharmacists and Nurses that would form the NMT.— Nigeria Hajj Commission (@nigeriahajjcom) April 27, 2023
He enjoined them to consider their selection as a trust reposed on them by the Almighty Allah, whose favour they are beneficiaries of. The Chairman also cautioned the members to respect the guidelines and regulations of the host country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which does not tolerate infractions.
“You should comply with Saudi Arabian authority guidelines as far as Saudi is concerned it will not tolerate you going against its guidelines for the medical profession.
This year is going to be a year of more work than last year’s operation since Nigeria got its full quarter, thereby you should put all your ethical standards into use and do your work as a medical professional diligently.”
The Commissioner of Planning, Research, Information, Statistics and Library Services, PRISLS who doubles as the Chairman of the Medical Team, Sheikh Suleman Momoh, disclosed that the selection of the members followed a transparent ballot system under the supervision of 12 members.
He, therefore, emphasized that any member who would not comply strictly with the terms and conditions of engagement was invited to honourably decline the offer.
“Now we have not gone to Saudi Arabia, in sha Allah very soon we will start going, there are issues we have noticed in the past. Most of you are new members here, and I want us to hear this and internalise it, National Hajj Commission exco and the management will not condone any excuse in leaving duty post because the life of every Nigerian pilgrim is very important to us, anyone who will want pass judgement should know that everything that needed to be done was done except otherwise”.
“So the fact that you will go and work for two days and as soon as the Hajj rites are over that is when some of you will start saying your father is sick, your sister is getting married, or you have an exam to write so that you can return to Nigeria. This will no longer be tolerated!”.
There are some senior team members who feel they cannot work under junior officers while on duty in Saudi Arabia. Please! anyone who feels that way should quickly decline so that a replacement can be made because when you have signed the acceptance letter and agreed to work for the commission, you have to work under whoever is in charge because we are only concerned about the lives of the Nigerian pilgrims and not the rank of those in charge.
NAHCON Commissioners Alhaji Abdullahi Magaji Hardawa and Alhaji Nura Hassan Yakassai called on the members to show gratitude to Allah for their selection by discharging their responsibilities whether monitored or not. Alhaji Yakassai added that their appointment letter clearly states their remuneration in consonance with the number of days they will be engaged.
Board Member representing the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Ahmad Baba called on the medical personnel to always abide by their professional ethics wherever they are.
The Technical Adviser to the NMT also reminded the selected members of the role of the Federal Ministry of Health as a regulatory body monitoring their professional conduct.
The NMT composition is a fusion of medical personnel sponsored by States’ Pilgrims’ Welfare Boards, Agencies, Commissions and those sponsored by the federal agency to cater for the healthcare of Nigerian pilgrims during Hajj operations on and offshore.
