Declare state of emergency on health sector, NMA tells Tinubu

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Ekiti Branch, has urged President Bola Ahmed  Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in the health sector.

NMA made the call in a communiqué issued after the 26th Annual General Meeting, AGM, held between August 5 and 11, 2023, on Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

It also asked state and federal governments to increase budgetary allocation to health to 15 percent in compliance with the Abuja Declaration to tackle the challenges confronting the sector.

The communiqué was jointly signed by the chairman, Dr Babatunde Rosiji, and the Secretary, Dr Moses Dada.

• Farmers flee as bandits invade Niger villages
• Job racketeering: House of Reps’ c’ttee hears multi-million naira dirty deals

The doctors lamented that the country’s health sector is in comatose, requiring urgent and lasting solutions to revive it.

They said the health sector lacked the infrastructural capacity and personnel to manage health demands of Nigerians due to the inadequate funding and harsh working environment forcing doctors and other health practitioners to leave the country.

The health sector, they said, has suffered neglect with public hospitals lacking necessary equipment for effective and efficient  healthcare service delivery.