Mandate Secretary tasks NMA on ethical standard, professionalism
The FCTA Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat (HSES), Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, has urged members of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), to maintain ethical standard.
Fasawe, who made the call at a virtual meeting to kickstart the 2024 Annual General Meeting/Scientific conference of the association also charged NMA members to maintain professionalism.
The secretary spoke on the topic: “Due care and violence against healthcare professionals,” said that doctors owed it as a duty to provide adequate care to their patients.
She said that doctors must ensure that they met a reasonable standard of competence in treating their patients, while also considering their personal safety.
According to her, the doctors need to start paying attention to the laws that guide their practice as healthcare providers.
She also decried the culture of violence against medical practitioners.
“Violence against healthcare professionals is a stark reality. Physical and verbal abuse from patients and their families can have devastating consequences.
“It is unacceptable that those who dedicate their lives to healing others are subjected to harm,” she said.
She said that the FCT administration had designed signages to deter and prevent violence against doctors.
Fasawe said that the administration had also resolved to prosecute patients or their relatives who assaulted any health worker.
According to her, assault cases have been followed up by the FCT administration and there is need for everyone to recognise the legal implications of workplace violence.
She said that employers and organisations had a responsibility to provide a safe environment, while healthcare professionals have the right to seek legal action against perpetrators.
She called on medical practitioners to strive for a balance between providing due care and ensuring their own safety, adding that together they could create a healthier and safer environment for all.
Fasawe also disclosed that the FCT administration was focusing on long and short term training for medical workers.
“In just 10 months, six new residency trainings have been fully accredited.
“In 2023, all FCTA resident doctors were paid the full residency training funds, and that of 2024 will be paid soon,” she said.
She added that FCTA will be sponsoring about 30 fellows to the 2024 Annual Scientific Conference of doctors which will soon be holding in Port Harcourt.
