Our Correspondent Kaduna
The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has tasked doctors with joining the Nigerian military in the war against terrorists, stressing that the military’s MSS pay package is better than CONMESS.
Speaking during a courtesy visit to Kalapanzi Barracks in Kakuri, Kaduna, on Friday, the Nigeria Medical Association’s National President, Professor Bala Mohammed Audu, lauded the Nigerian Military, especially the Army, for putting their lives in the frontline in defense of the nation.
“The troops who invariably put their lives in front on behalf of each and every one of us in this country also receive health care even when in the frontline and of course also within the military facilities.
Suffice it to say also that all over the world, the military actually forms one of the frontline research areas in medicine” he added.
On reducing medical tourism, the NMA National President maintained that, “there seems to be more Nigerian doctors outside the shores of this country than there are within the country.
Which means we are talking about over 50,000 doctors practicing outside the country.
This makes it possible because of the quality of doctors that Nigeria trains because a lot of the time it’s not just that Nigerian doctors are leaving the shores of this country and going elsewhere but you find countries come to Nigeria to actually recruit the doctors and take them out, even when they don’t apply to go out.
But having said that, there is also an internal migration within the system, within Nigeria, that is doctors moving from one institution to another where their welfare is better taken care of. And in this angle, we must praise the military.”
Audu, who rated the Kalapanzi Barracks medical facility as excellent, stressed that, ” it’s like a five-star hotel you won’t think this was a hospital setting it’s very clean, very neat and well organized department by department in such a way that it makes it very ambient for any person who is sick who comes in to immediately feel an aura of wellness.
The attention that is given is so ambient and which means that the staff are highly motivated well committed and actually focused on ensuring that this barrack receives adequate health care and of course the medical officer in charge has been very resourceful and obviously that is only possible because of the leadership provided by the Commanding Officer.
Responding, the Commanding Officer of 312 Artillery Regiment Kalapanzi Barracks, Lieutenant Colonel I.J. Ufua, who maintained that it is an honor to have the National President of the Nigerian Medical Association, the Second Vice President of the Association, as well as the Kaduna State Chairman, said, “I don’t think the unit has gotten this privilege to have this great team in our midst.
On behalf of the officers and men of this regiment, I sincerely welcome you to Kalapanzin barracks. The barracks is known as Kalapanzin barracks.”
” I know how much your association has actually done, how you advocate for ethical leadership professional healthcare advancements and this is something that the military sincerely appreciates on this level i also want to stand and say okay we’re grateful and then we continue to look forward to partnering with you and also ensuring that the collaboration is being deepened since the country went into this counter-terrorism and counter insurgency operations” he stressed.
