South East breaking News
NMA Abia Expresses her Readiness To Collaborate With Senator T.A Orji To Ensure That Quality Health Care is Maintained In Abia
The NMA Abia has made known her intention and readiness to collaborate with the senator representing Abia state Central senatorial District in the Green Chamber ,His excellency Chief Senator T.A Orji to ensure that quality health care is delivered and maintained in Abia state .
This was disclosed by the NMA Abia chairman ,Dr Okwuonu Chimezie when he led a delegate of the NMA Abia State Branch on a courtesy visit to the Senator T .A Orji in his liaison office at Ojike street Umuahia ,Abia state to congratulate him on his efforts in the health sector as a Governor in the past and as a serving Senator .
According to Dr Okwuonu and his delegates , ” We are ready to discuss and engage our members in the primary health care centers to ensure uninterrupted services when needed .We also call on the local Government Authorities to fully utilize this opportunity provided by the distinguished senator in ensuring that quality health care services are delivered to their constituents by providing community health care extension workers ,nurses, medical officers ,laboratory technicians and other cadre of health workers “even as he urged the communities where the health centres are located to cooperate by ensuing and complementing security of properties in these health centres.
Speaking further, he urged the Senator to continue looking closely to the health sector in Abia as he has done in the past and see further ways of collaborating with the NMA ,adding that as an association NMA has its challenges which is essentially centred on members’ welfare/remuneration packages and ,” we try to engage and advocate for improved welfare packages of our members so as to better health sector in Abia from our perspective “
He pointed out that the State government is trying ,and that as a past Governor and serving Senator who enjoys the respect and goodwill of many Abians ,”we earnestly believe you know what some of the problems are ,especially the remote causes and we believe you can assist us in our effort to ensure our members are highly spirited as usual to render services in our dear state and that Abian continues to enjoy the respect it deserves in the comity of States in Nigeria “
Dr Okwuonu , described Senator T.A Orji as a builder and appeal to him to come and help NMA in its efforts to build a befitting edifice for the Abia Doctors .
He however, pointed out some of the giant strides of Senator T.A Orji in the area of health sector, to include, ” construction of state of the art primary health care center in Umuariaga Ikwuano LGA with accommodation quarters and call rooms ,construction of an ultra modern primary health centre in Ukome Isieke Umuahia North LGA with accommodation quarters and call room ,sponsoring of a Radio Health programme, Senator T .A. Orji health programme on radio stations, flagship program, Senator T A Orji Eye Surgery programme and the Senator T A Orji Eye training institute, which he described as,” a pride to Abia state ” ,
Others are ,” construction of multi – purpose hall as a constituency project at the Federal medical center Umuahia in the past, as a state Governor, you donated a Hiace Bus
to NMA Abia state, established the Abia state Specialist hospital, Dialysis and Diagnostic center.This center saved the life of our Governor in times of his health challenge during the lock down period occasioned by Covid 19 pandemic .He noted that ,” had it been this facility was not ground in functional state as you made it to be , who knows what would have befell Abia “
The NMA Abia chairman noted that ,” the Abia Specialist hospital with its facilities at Amachara gave the State Government a foundational take off as isolation center for covid 19 infected patients, you attended our NMA physicians week with a full regalia of your executives and donated handsomely in 2013 physician week . During the Tenure Policy System – retirement of those on Directorate position with 8 years experience at the level ; you relaxed that policy for the medical doctors only ,recalled those that were affected and paid them 6 months salary arrears. At home ,you renovated Ohafia General hospital ,rehabilitated a lot of primary health centres and made them functional “
In his response, the senator representing Abia central ,Chief T.A Orji thank the NMA Abia state for finding time to visit him and for appreciating his numerous contributions in the area of health sector,saying when he was governor and up till now, he gives preference to health because ,” I believe that it is only a healthy person that will enjoy the dividends of democracy ,a sick person does not know if you are building road,a sick person does not know if there is light ,a sick person finds it even difficult to eat ,so it is only when you are healthy that you think of these things ,you can ask government why have not build this road ,government why is it like this and why is it like that and doctors why are you doing this , and you doctors are instrumental to that ,that is why I appreciate you ,I value you ,I will support you .I did that when I was governor of this state ,like I have said I have forgotten most of them but you captured almost all of them ” he said.
Speaking further ,senator Orji ,disclosed that , ” In the senate where I am ,I have also provided jobs for medical people for doctors ,you know unemployment is now everywhere ,those who are not within my constituency, who do not work in Umuahia ,but who come from Umuahia ,who are outside ,some of them in the state ,other States, they come to me and the connection I have ,I connect them to get job and after they come and thank me ,very well “
He expressed his appreciation to the resident doctors for considering it necessary to call off their strike ,saying that when there is strike a lot of people suffer ,while applauding their decision to call off the strike , he said ,” you have the compassion ,you negotiated ,you have patience and give time so that government will respond .I am sure that government will not respond to your demand and make you comfortable because what you are doing is very vital job to the society and to yourselves, so thank you for calling off that strike “
He ,appreciates the NMA Abia chairman and his executive members for what they are doing and what they are about to do ,and thank the past NMA Abia chairman, Dr Mrs Carol Iwuoha for her giant contributions towards the building of NMA secretariat .
In his words ,” So my dear sister ,I thank you very much for what your chairman said you achieved , that shows the capacity of women ,that you people can do wonderful when given opportunity ,I thank you for the extent you went and the extent you and your colleagues have gone now .I am surprise and I will ask how do you get the money to do all these things, it is not easy for what you have done “
He also congratulated Professor Onyebuchi Azubuike ,the MD Federal medical center Umuahia for his new academic status as a professor, describing him as “an intelligent person who has made NMA people proud, I am very proud of you”.
He urged people to use their positions of authority to make others happy , ” The purpose of governance is to make people happy ,alleviate the problems of people .Whenever you are in a position of authority like all of you are in positions of authority ,you have to make use of that opportunity to help people and help yourself, but there are some people who are naturally wicked if you are in this class ,I will urge you to desist from it because you are dealing with people ” he said