The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Benue State branch has called for a partnership with the Benue State Hospitals Management Board (HMB).
This call was made by the Chairman of the Benue state branch of the association, Dr Ushakuma Anenga when he led the State Officers Committee (SOC) on a courtesy visit to the Executive Secretary (ES) of HMB, Dr Emmanuel Ogwu last Tuesday.
Dr Anenga appreciated the ES for his efforts in repositioning the hospitals under his watch and also highlighted the ongoing renovation of six General Hospitals and equipping of General Hospital Gbajimba as a step in the right direction.
The Chairman also outlined some of the challenges affecting doctors working with the board which included about seven months of owed salaries, unpaid COVID-19 allowances, casualization of doctors, and poor manpower.
He, therefore, called for partnership with the HMB as the organisation was a key stakeholder in the healthcare sector of the state and also in finding solutions to the challenges of doctors working with them.
In his response, the ES, Dr Emmanuel Ogwu thanked the new leadership of the association for visiting the board. He promised to partner with NMA in surmounting the challenges of doctors even as he disclosed that there was an ongoing interview of some casualized doctors in a bid to offer them permanent and pensionable employment.
Dr Mark Ogbodo,
PRO,
NMA, Benue
24/9/2022