The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the recently amended National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Repeal and Re-enactment Bill into law without further delay.
In a communique issued after its 2021 National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Sokoto State, NMA said doing so would facilitate Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the country.
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The communique was read by the President of the association, Prof Innocent Ujah, yesterday in Abuja.
NMA said there was need for increased funding for the NHIS in order to expand access to the country’s health system for all Nigerians.
NMA also decried the increasing spate of emigration of highly trained Nigerian doctors and other healthcare professionals to seek greener pastures at a time when their services were critically needed back home.
The association also faulted the attempt by the National Universities Commission (NUC) to impose PhD as a prerequisite for academic career progression on clinical lecturers.
Prof Ujah added that the council resolved that PhD had no bearing on improving knowledge or skills for medical instructions that would guarantee patients’ safety and clinical effectiveness and scholarship.