Government urged to pay more attention to lassa fever, others

Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has called on the Federal Government to give the same level of attention it gave to COVID-19 to Lassa Fever, Cholera, Malaria, and other diseases that affect the lower class on Friday.

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The association also decried the failure of the government in the payment of hazard allowance to medical doctors and other health workers.

The Federal Capital Territory chapter of the NMA at the end of the ordinary general meeting in Abuja also condemned the frequent deaths among medical doctors especially younger ones from preventable and avoidable circumstances.

In a statement released by the FCT Chairman of the association, Dr. Enema Amodu, and made available to our correspondent, it commended the government on the availability of the COVID-19 vaccine, as most people had even received the booster shots.

It, however, decried the less attention being paid to other infectious diseases.

“The NMA decries frequent deaths amongst medical doctors especially younger ones from preventable and avoidable circumstances, persistent and perennial shortage of petrol and other petroleum products, lack of commencement of the payment of the hazard allowance to doctors, and other health workers. All health workers working in both federal and FCTA health facilities within the federal capital territory should be subjected to compulsory free annual basic medical checkups as part of their New year programme.”

“This will go a long way to picking up serious ailments early to prevent untimely deaths. The NMA, FCT, calls on FG and NNPC to do something lasting about the persistent, perennial fuel shortage. This situation has severely affected the practice of medicine. Health workers are now finding it increasingly difficult to get to their places of work, to discharge their duties, not to mention the adverse effects on the health sector.”

“On the abrupt termination of the public-private partnership arrangement between the NISA medical groups and Federal Capital Territory Administration, of Garki Hospital, the NMA FCT totally and completely rejects the position of the FCTA,” the statement read.

PHW