By Ade Jacobs
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has disclosed that the Central Bank of Nigeria’s N100 billion Health Intervention Fund (HIF) is inaccessible to its members.
The apex bank set up the HIF in April this year, but the flagship association for medical doctors in the country said conditions set to access the fund were too difficult, urging President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene on the issue.
According to a communique signed on Monday, December 14, 2020, by NMA President, Professor Innocent Ujah, and Secretary, Dr Philp Ekpe, after its National Executive Council meeting in Awka, Anambra State, the NMA said its members are going through difficult times as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The doctors also demanded the establishment of the National Health Bank in order to fast-track the acquisition of world class equipment for the nation’s health sector in order to attract medical tourism.
It said the N100 billion fund had fallen short of expectations of members, particularly those in the private sector who are badly in need of it.
The NMA, therefore, called on “His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, political leaders, strategic stakeholders in the nation’s financial sector and the entire citizens to prevail upon the CBN to soften and modify the conditionalities for accessing the health Intervention loan, especially given the current state of the nation’s health sector as exposed by the COVID – 19 pandemic.
“More deliberate and strategic efforts must be made by governments to ensure the return home of the Nigerian Doctors and other health professionals in diaspora to contribute their quota to the improvement of healthcare delivery services as well as national growth and development.
“Privileged Nigerians should demonstrate open confidence in the nation’s healthcare delivery system and as well as patriotism by patronising the services. We call on the Federal Government to commence negotiations with NMA on the 2019 Collective Bargaining Agreements.
“We intensify the call on the Federal Government and its security agencies to assess and evaluate the current strategies on the security situation and commit to more effective reforms in order to secure Nigerians wherever they are in the country.
“We will continue to strategically engage appropriate quarters in order to achieve the implementation of the extension of the retirement age of medical and dental practitioners in Nigeria to 65 years; special pension benefits as contained in circular I of 1991; restoration of the Medical Salary System Scale; implementation of the CONMESS for Medically qualified Lecturers and its universal applicability for doctors in the employment of States and Local Government councils,” the association stated.