NEWS
Bayelsa Dep Gov Urges Medical Doctors to Uphold Professional Oath
From Mike Tayese, Yenagoa
Bayelsa Deputy Governor, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, has reminded medical workers in Nigeria, particularly doctors of the need to obey their professional oath at all times in the performance of their duties.
This is just as he urged young lawyers to take interest in promoting and protecting human rights of the people as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo spoke when the Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Medical Centre Yenagoa Chapter and the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Community Development Service Legal Aid Group paid him separate visits in Government House, Yenagoa, on Tuesday.
The deputy Governor decried the situation where most doctors disobeyed with impunity the Hippocratic Oath they swore to before being inducted into the medical profession.
Senator Ewhrudjakpo emphasized that the Hippocratic Oath makes it mandatory for medical professionals to place a premium on saving life first before considering the financial implication of doing so.
He lamented that disobeying the oath together with increasing infiltration of fake doctors and their unprofessional activities had caused many avoidable deaths in the state and the country at large.
His words: “One issue I want to talk about is the issue of having a little more human milk in our medical practice. We still have a lot of cases of avoidable deaths.
“Some elements of negligence and unprofessional conduct are still there. It may not be from you, but you know, when oil stains one finger, it touches the other fingers too.
“So I will want to encourage you to step up your professional monitoring tradition. There are a lot of quacks masquerading all over the place.
“The other issue is when patients arrive, let’s save lives before we talk about money. More often than not, we have heard of cases like ‘oh, they have not paid and so we are not going to treat the patient!’ The Hippocratic Oath which you took did not state so.”
Addressing the NYSC Legal Aid Group, the Bayelsa Deputy Governor drew parallels between contemporary legal practice in Nigeria and what was obtainable during the times of legal luminaries like Gani Fawehinmi, Rotimi Williams, and Nikki Tobi.
He noted that legal practice had suffered terrible setbacks, and therefore, challenged upcoming young lawyers to avoid the apparent blunders in the Nigerian Justice delivery system in recent times.
While assuring his visitors of government’s support, Senator Ewhrudjakpo specifically urged the NYSC group to initiate a radio programme to educate the public on fundamental human rights, stressing that many citizens were being oppressed due to ignorance of their basic rights.
He said, “I want you to focus on what you can do. I believe that quite a number of people are not aware of their rights, and that is a major issue.
“And that will dovetail to the issue of domestic violence and human rights abuses that take place. I want you to find out whether we have any programme on air that educates us about our rights, otherwise we initiate one. “
The Bayelsa Number Two Man also charged them to make periodic visits to the Okaka Correctional Centre in Yenagoa with a view to following up on awaiting trial cases and ensure that inmates who deserved to be released were set free.
In their separate remarks, the President, Association of Resident Doctors, FMC Yenagoa Chapter, Dr. Sintei Shadrachson, and his NYSC CDS Legal Aid Group counterpart, Mr Fiwasayo Akintayo, commended the Governor Douye Diri-led administration for supporting health and NYSC programmes.
They, however, requested for the government’s continued support to enable their organizations function more effectively.
While presenting an award of excellent performance to Governor Diri and his Deputy, the immediate past President of the doctors association, Dr Mbooh Romeo, specifically thanked them for their enormous support that led to the success of the Association’s Annual Convention in Yenagoa.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of the Sector-wide Coordinating Office-Programme Management Unit (SCO-PMU) domiciled in the Office of the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare.A statement on Friday by his spokesman, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, said the unit would ensure efficient, transparent and accountable management of external grants mobilised towards the implementation of the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII).
Ngelale said SCO-PMU would report to a Steering Committee/Ministerial Oversight Committee chaired by the Minister, including the Minister of State, Permanent Secretary; Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning and relevant development partners. “The SCO-PMU will serve as the secretariat and delivery unit for the NHSRII and is to be headed by a national coordinator (NC).“The functions of the SCO-PMU include programme management, monitoring and evaluation, engagement and supervision of Independent Verification Agents (IVAs) for NHSRII programmes and fiduciary management, among others.“Consequently, the President has approved the appointment of Dr. Muntaqa Umar Sadiq as the National Coordinator of SCO-PMU,” he said.Report says that Sadiq has over 17 years of experience in public health, impact investing, investment banking, energy, and climate financing across the health, finance, climate and energy sectors.He had served as Head of the Performance Management and Delivery Unit at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and Chief Executive Officer of the Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria.He also served as Head of the Nigeria Energy Transition Office and Private Sector Engagement Adviser at the World Bank. (NAN)
The Federal Government says it has no plan to slash scholarship students’ allowances as recently projected in the media.The Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, stated this during a meeting with the leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) in Abuja on Friday.
Report says that there was a report that the ministry, through the Federal Scholarship Board, announced a slash in allowances of foreign scholars stranded in Russia, Morocco, and Algeria among others.
The slash in scholars’ allowances under the federal government’s Bilateral Educational Agreement Scholarship (BEA) was attributed to the economic crises.Mamman said that there was no slash in scholars` allowances but rather an adjustment due to Foreign Exchange fluctuations (FOREX).“We want to clarify what has been in the media on allowances paid to scholars under the Bilateral Scholarship Agreement.“We want to place it on record that the ministry and the Federal Government for that matter have not slashed the allowances due to students.“What happened is some adjustments in the amount due to them because of FOREX fluctuations, and as soon as we get the balance we have applied for, we will pay them.“But for now, what is in the budget is what we can pay. So, there is no slash, we will even be happy to increase, so this is what has led to the adjustments,” he said.(NAN)
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, on Friday, has urged Nigerians to calm and patient with Federal Government and should give the the government more time to address these pressing concerns.In a statement issued by CAN and signed by Archbishop Daniel Okoh ,President, CAN and made available to journalists in Abuja.
CAN also urged all Nigerians to consider alternative means of expressing their grievances. He however said CAN stands in solidarity with the citizens of nation during these challenging times of economic hardship and pervasive hunger. The statement reads in part, “As we navigate this period of crisis, it is imperative to uphold the constitutional rights of every Nigerian to peacefully protest and express their grievances. The right to assemble and voice discontent is a cornerstone of our democracy and must be protected and respected by all. Peaceful protests are a powerful tool for civic engagement, allowing the populace to communicate their concerns and hold leaders accountable. However, the anxiety related to the impending protests is heightening, especially given the volatile experiences in countries like Kenya and Pakistan.”We must also draw from our recent history. The #ENDSARS and #RevolutionNow protests, though rooted in genuine grievances, were marred by tragic incidents where miscreants hijacked the process. This led to widespread looting, destruction of properties, and unfortunate loss of lives. These experiences have shown us that mass demonstrations can quickly degenerate into chaos if not properly managed and coordinated.” In light of the planned protests scheduled to commence on 1st of August, CAN urges all Nigerians to consider alternative means of expressing their grievances. We recommend giving the government more time to address these pressing concerns. This period should be used to explore other legal avenues that will not easily give hoodlums the opportunity to hijack the exercise to destroy our national assets or endanger lives and properties. Dialogue, petitions, and town hall meetings are viable options that can yield positive results without the risk of disorder.”We call on the government to cut the cost of governance and expedite its efforts to alleviate the hardships in the land. The opulent lifestyle of political office holders must be addressed to demonstrate the sincerity of those in government to improve the living conditions of the people. Likewise, it is imperative that the government implements the newly approved national minimum wage to provide immediate relief to struggling families.”Furthermore, specific measures must be taken to put an end to kidnappings, banditry, and mass killings that have plagued various parts of our country. The security and well-being of every Nigerian should be paramount, and urgent action is required to restore peace and order.”We also call on the government to expedite its efforts to alleviate the hardships in the land. There is an urgent need for more refined and effective policies that address the root causes of the economic challenges we face. The government must deepen its consultations with stakeholders, including religious leaders, to create a more inclusive and comprehensive approach to problem-solving. By working together, we can devise sustainable solutions that reflect the needs and aspirations of the people.”In these trying times, let us all remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ: “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God” (Matthew 5:9). As we seek to bring about positive change, let us do so with a spirit of peace, love, and unity. Our strength lies in our ability to come together, support one another, and work collectively toward a better Nigeria.”We pray for wisdom and discernment for our leaders, resilience and hope for our citizens, and divine intervention to guide us through these difficult times”.
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