By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos — The Plateau State Chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA has instituted the state Ebola control committee to stay at alert in case of any Ebola outbreak in the state.

Chairman of the association, Dr. Bupwatda Pokop, yesterday, at the committee’s inauguration and briefing on the recent Federal Government’s sack of over 16,000 resident doctors and suspension of residency training, said NMA was in the forefront of fighting the scourge.
According to him, “despite the strike action, the NMA is contributing and committed to the control of Ebola virus disease epidemic in the country, hence the constitution of the committee to work towards the control of the disease.”

The 14-man adhoc committee has Dr. Chingle Moses and Dr. Raphael Solomon as Chairman and Secretary respectively.
Responding on behalf of other members, the committee’s chairman, Dr. Chingle Moses, said they were ready to use their knowledge to serve the state and nation at large.
He cautioned residents to do away with fear of the Ebola virus disease and act rationally by submitting themselves to medical facilities once any symptom was observed.

On doctors’ sack

On the sack of the doctors, the association’s chairman advised the Federal Government to show more commitment towards repositioning the nation’s health facilities rather than abolishing residency training programme.

He condemned the Federal Government’s stance and called for the immediate withdrawal of the suspension circular and unconditional reinstatement of the “so-called sacked” resident doctors as well as directing that none of its members should accept or collect any sack letter or sign any register opened by the government or hospitals.
His words: “Whereas the NMA has been making efforts to resolve the current impasse between the Federal Government and NMA, the government has not kept her part of the agreement despite intervention by prominent Nigerians.

“By allowing the strike to be protracted, government has placed the lives of Nigerians in jeopardy, left health facilities in dilapidated conditions and contribute to the nation’s groaning under the dearth of specialists doctors.
“NMA condemns in totality the alleged presidential directive suspending residency training programme and demands immediate withdrawal of   the suspension circular as well as unconditional reinstatement of the sacked doctors.

“Rather than abolishing residency training programme, government should improve the poorly funded programme, improve the nation’s health facilities as the current government’s stance will further worsen the industrial disharmony.”