By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The Benue State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Joseph Ngbea says his would support and ensure full scale implementation of the use of approved Doctors’ Stamp in all medical correspondences by medical and Dental practitioners in the state and Nigeria at large.

Dr. Ngbea who gave the assurance in Makurdi when he performed the launch of the Doctors’ Stamp in the state, noted that the introduction of the use of the Stamp was a positive development that would help check quackery in the medical profession.

The former Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, State Chairman who is also the National Chairman NMA liaison for Commissioners of Health, Northern Nigeria said, “I can assure you that I will use my office to rally my colleagues in other states of the federation to have them implement the Doctors’ Stamps in their respective states.”

He commended the doggedness of the NMA National President, Dr. Rowland Ojinmah, Chairman NMA Benue State, Dr. Michael Ushakuma and the NMA National Committee Chairman on Doctors’ Stamp, Dr. Terna Gav and his committee members for working hard to ensure the enforcement of the use of the Doctors’ Stamp and called on all Medical Doctors to embrace the policy to give their medical correspondences a unique touch just like the documents from lawyers.

He explained that “the Stamp bears the NMA logo and also contains the name of the practitioner, license number, year of graduation and other security features that could only be seen through an ultraviolet light.”

Earlier, the NMA National Committee Chairman on Doctor’s Stamp and the immediate past NMA Secretary in the State, Dr. Gav who presented the Stamp to the Commissioner to formally launch its implementation in Benue said it was officially launched in the country on August 17, 2017 by the then Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole.

Dr. Gav added that “the Doctor’s Stamp would be used in all medico-legal documents and reports by Doctors in both public and private establishments and it would also serve in identifying Doctor’s in the state and country at large.”

Dr. Gav on behalf of the NMA President commended the Health Commissioner for the giant strides Governor Samuel Ortom had recorded in the health sector since the former NMA Chairman took office as Commissioner.

He appealed to the Commissioner to “deploy necessary machinery to ensure its full implementation across public and private health facilities in the state to stamp out fake medical reports that might be emanating from the beautiful health facilities the state government has provided for the people.”

He also called on “the general public, stakeholders like the Nigeria Police Force, NYSC, FRSC, Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government to  insist on the Doctor’s Stamp on Medical correspondences by all Medical and Dental Practitioners in Nigeria.”

Also present at the stamp launch were members of the NMA National Committee, Dr. Augustine Agbedeh and Dr. Stephen Atokolo.