The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) says the COVID-19 pandemic dealt a devastating blow on the nation’s medical practice, especially with the death of 19 members.
Its President, Dr Okhuaihesuyi Uyilawa, said this on Thursday during the association’s first National Executive Council (NEC) post-COVID-19 meeting in Umuahia.
Uyilawa expressed regret that the pandemic “dealt heavily on resident doctors,” who lost at least 19 colleagues to the deadly scourge.
He said the plight being suffered by resident doctors in the country informed the choice of the theme of the meeting: “The Nigerian Doctor: An Endangered specie Grappling with a Pandemic, Poor Workplace, Infrastructure and Security Threat.”
He added that aside from the number of deaths recorded, about 1,000 members were suffering from varying morbidities from the pandemic.
He noted that the meeting would provide platform where the plight of resident doctors would be discussed with regards to poor workplace infrastructure and security threats associated with the job.
The NARD president said “this NEC meeting gives us another opportunity to critically and extensively deliberate on issues surrounding the quality of healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
“We shall also X-ray our plight and shortcomings as it pertains to our welfare.
“We shall review the ultimatum given to the federal and state governments on issues of welfare of our members, training and service delivery to our dear patients.
“The hope of Nigerians for specialist healthcare is on the resident doctor and we have shown this by how we stood up to the novel pandemic and put our lives out for Nigerians.
“We are, however, relieved that our service to humanity has not fallen short of our mantra and calling.”
In an address of welcome, Dr Kelechi Chikezie, the President of the association at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia, described the COVID-19 era as a trying period for mankind.
He said “these are very trying times for every Nigerian, especially the resident doctor who is believed, like the proverbial cat, to have nine lives and so never really dies.”
He added that the doctors were hard pressed on every side, including family responsibilities, work and the attendant hazards, stressful specialist training, economic downturn and insecurity.
“Little wonder many of our colleagues have resorted to finding solace in other countries, where life is considered more comfortable.
“Yet, on a daily basis, many more are concluding plans to join them,” Chikezie said.
The Chairman of the event, Chief Gabriel Onyendilefu, said the danger posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in the midst of inadequate health infrastructure not only exposed resident doctors but made their job unattractive.
Onyendilefu urged the association to use the meeting to set agenda and chart the way forward for effective health management at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels.
Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu thanked the group for choosing Abia for the meeting.
Represented by his Chief of Staff, Prof. ABC Agbazuere, Ikpeazu said both the government and leadership of the association would leverage the opportunity to discuss issues affecting effective healthcare delivery in the state.
He listed some of the achievements of his administration in the health sector to include the construction of COVID-19 laboratories in Umuahia and Aba, four new general hospitals, the Abia Home Care and Tele-Health initiatives, among others.
Major highpoints of the meeting included lecture on the theme by Prof. Chuks Kamanu, the Dean, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences and Abia State University, Uturu.
Others were Prof. Mkpa Agu Mkpa, Chairman, Abia State Independent Electoral Commission, Mr Uche Orji, Managing Director, Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority and Dr Tuko Moses, a Nephrologist, who spoke on sub-themes I, II and III, respectively.
