NMA Holds AGM, Honours Nonye Soludo, Ikechebelu
The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Anambra Chapter has held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) Scientific Conference, Award and Launch in Awka, the Anambra capital.
The theme of the AGM is “From Drain To Gain: Strategies For Building Nigerian Health Workforce Capacity”.
The NMA gave an award Drive f recognition to Dr Nonye Soludo, wife of the governor of Anambra and Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu, the immediate past Acting Vice Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka and Dr Adam Obidike for their contributions to medicine and society.
Mrs Soludo was recognised for her service to humanity through “Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo” her project which promotes fitness and nutrition which while Ikechebelu, was honoured for his contributions to the field of medicine.
Dr Afam Obidike, the Commissioner for Health was honoured for his performance as an administrator who helped to build a robust relationship between the government of Anambra and health workers.
Prof. Walter Nwafia, an Environmentalist and Clinical Physiologist who delivered the lecture said effective application of technology in medical practice could bridge the manpower gap in the health sector of Nigeria.
Nwafia who lectures in the Faculty of Faculty of Medicine, Chukwuma Odumegwu Ojukwu University said Nigeria health sector was severely broken by brain drain and needed serious and urgent redemption.
He said the factors which were responsible for outward migration including remuneration and insecurity should be addressed.
He also called on senior doctors to bond more with their mentees, build greater work ethics among them while calling on the NMA to use its power of collective bargaining to secure better deals for members in terms of remuneration and appointments.
In his lecture,, Dr Olugbenga Ogunfowora said technology and Artificial Intelligence assisted devices could help deliver quality and timely healthcare services to a cross section of the society efficiently.
Ogunfowora said with an Artificial Intelligence chatbox on a computer at a Primary Healthcare Centre, a doctor could examine a patient, administer treatment and monitor progress wherever he was.
He spoke on “The Digital Doctor: Embracing Telemedicine, Artificial Intelligence and Other Digital Health Tools”
“With this technology Nigerian doctors in foreign countries can treat patients in their villages and that is how brain drain can be converted to brain gain,” he said.
In his speech, Dr Princeton Okam , the Chairman of NMA, Anambra said AGM, and Awards Ceremony was an opportunity for relevant stakeholders and policy makers to interface on issues affecting doctors and the health care system.
Okam lauded Gov. Chukwuma Soludo for introducing Telemedicine innovation in Anambra while pledging the continued support of doctors both in public and private establishments towards achieving his dream healthcare delivery system for Anambra.
*Let me congratulate our awardees, Prof. Joseph Ikechebelu, Dr. Afam Obidike and Dr Nonye Soludo were carefully selected in recognition of their giant strides and achievements in the field of medicine and service to humanity.
“Pofound gratitude to Gov. Soludo for giving the healthcare system in Anambra a facelift through infrastructure upgrades, personnel recruitment, free antenatal care and delivery and various innovative programmes,” he said .
On his part, Soludo said the theme of the event was apt as brain drain had become a serious cause for concern for government
Soludo, who was represented by Obidike, said the government was taking deliberate steps to bridge the gap through technology and was open to partner the NMA and solution providers.
