By Marie-Therese Nanlong

Jos — The Plateau State chapter of the striking Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, has called for a law by the National Assembly to make it an offence for Nigerians, especially public officials, to travel abroad for medical attention without a referral from qualified hospitals in the country.

Chairman of the s state NMA, Dr. Pokop Bupwatda and a consultant with the Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH, contended that such measure will make relevant government agencies pay attention to health care delivery system in the country.

Speaking, yesterday, after being sworn-in as the new state chairman of the asssociation, Bupwatda, however assured that the impasse between doctors and government would be resolved soon because “we are worried over the situation patients find themselves.”

He urged Nigerians to support the “NMA which is only striving to ensure that the health sector is made efficient and responsive to the plight of the people” and advised government against blackmailing the doctors as doing that would breed anarchy in the country.

Bupwatda said even while the doctors were on strike, “doctors have been humanly sympathetic to the plight of Ebola victims and also those of bomb blast as part of efforts to uplift the sanctity of human lives by the caring doctors.”

On his vision for the NMA in the state, he assured that the association was ready to partner with well-meaning individuals and groups to bring health care services to the door steps of the needy and also ensure that “the rot in the sector is halted for good.”

Others swore in were Mayowa Kingsley Okonoda, Vice Chairman; Jatau Meshak, Secretary; Solomon Raphael, Assistant Secretary and Funmilayo Yomi-Olugbodi, Financial Secretary.
Also sworn in were Solomon Dawal, PRO; Danat Mark, Treasurer as well as Yilgwan Christopher and Yildam Fabong who will serve as ex-officio I and II respectively.