The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has asked the Kogi State Government to step up its plans for effective delivery of primary and secondary health care.
The union made the demand at the opening ceremony of this year’s Physician Week held in Lokoja, Kogi State’s capital.
It expressed dissatisfaction with the authorities, especially in the area of provision of infrastructure for primary healthcare.
Speaking to Channels Television, Chairman of the NMA, Kogi State, Dr. Kassim Davidson complained that most of the Local Government Chairmen were not doing anything at the Primary Healthcare level.
“Most of the Primary Healthcare centers are in dilapidated state, most are not functional at all, and that is why we have to look at it in sincerity and objectively.”
“We have been advocating over the years that at least there must be 1 doctor at each local government but this is not to be, because the chairmen of these local governments are not ready to employ them. They will tell you that there’s no money,” he said.
He expressed his organisation’s demand for a law that would ensure that their requests were mandated at the local government level.
The Kogi State Commissioner of Health, Prof. Abdulmumuni Rafindadi, also supported the call for the roles of the 3 tiers of government in Primary Healthcare to be enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.
