The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Kogi State chapter, held its Annual General Meeting and scientific conference with the theme, Politics: Advancing the Medical Profession, which shed light on the nexus between politics and the medical profession.
The governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, represented by his deputy Edward Onoja, in his address emphasized on his commitment to ameliorating the welfare of medical doctors in the state and create more infrastructures for the development of the health care sector in general.
Chief Edward Onoja declared that nation will thrive without an unhealthy populace, adding that the present administration has done a lot in the healthcare sector, improving infrastructures and ensuring the welfare of medical practitioners is well taken care of. He however reinstated the need to draft more health public policies that will put an end to brain drain and facilitate development.
The NMA chairman Kogi State chapter, Dr Abubakar Alhassan, explained the importance of doctors participation in politics, in his words “The theme of this AGM was carefully chosen by the planning committee because it feels medical doctors should be interested in politics because of the nexus between politics and medicine. There is a link, there is a connection, they are interwoven one can not function without the other, politics has impact in the practice of medicine.”
The Public Relations officer, Dr Emmanuel Bola Jonah, expressed satisfaction in the programme, adding that the keynote speakers presented papers on politics and medicine by Dr Osahon Enabulele, president World Medical Association (WMA), emerging and re-emerging diseases and that more health professionals are needed to be more involved in politics.
The program saw the heavy presence of doctors and other stakeholders in the state, the traditional ruler Agbana of Isanlu, Moses Etombi among others.
