The Cross River chapter on the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has decried the rising number of fake doctors parading themselves in the state’s medical institutions
The chapter’s chairman, Dr. Effiong Mkpanam, who raised the alarm, Thursday, in Calabar during the 2018 Annual General Meeting/Scientific Conference of the association, said that medical quackery in Cross River was assuming an embarrassing dimension, hence the need to curb the menace.
[penci_blockquote style=”style-2″ align=”none” author=””]“Quackery in Cross River is assuming another embarrassing dimension. Henceforth, all reports from doctors must carry this customized stamp which carries the doctor’s name, institution attended, the medical registration and folio number[/penci_blockquote]
Mkpanam who pointed out that the NMA had invested in anti-quackery measures with a view to fighting the menace said medical doctors now use the ‘Doctor’s Stamp’, which took effect in 2015, as a way to curb quackery in the health sector.
“Quackery in Cross River is assuming another embarrassing dimension. Henceforth, all reports from doctors must carry this customized stamp which carries the doctor’s name, institution attended, the medical registration and folio number. This stamp has been approved by government and is widely accepted.”
The chairman, urged the state governor, Prof. Ben Ayade to employ more consultants, nurses and medical officers into the state health sector and also upgrade health facilities across the state.
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Keynote Speaker at the conference, Prof. Rowland Ndoma-Egba, who spoke on the conference theme; “Impact of Economic and Security Challenges on Nigeria’s Health Sector”, urged governments at all levels to invest massively in the health sector.
Ndoma-Egba, a former Chief Medical Director, of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, described infrastructure in hospitals as “relatively low”.
His words; “A situation where power does not exist, consultants not taken, no training of medical personnel, no equipment and salaries, would jeopardise healthcare delivery.”
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Health Insurance, Mr. Godwin Iyala, said that the insurance agency was collaborating with the NMA to deliver quality health service to residents of the state.