From Seyi Tayese, Yenagoa
The Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria (APHPN), has ascribed the current wave of movement of medical workers in the country abroad to insecurity and desire for better Welfare packages.
The National President of APHPN) Dr. Terfa Kene, while speaking during his three day visit to Bayelsa State to sought for supports to enhance public health delivery in the state, urged other medical workers who are still in Nigeria to work for the improvement of public health in the country.
Dr. Kene, also stated that once salaries of the health workers are improved and insecurity issue tackled, the challenge of migration of by medical personnel would stopped, adding that his mission to Bayelsa State is to ensure proper implement of Primary Health Centre adoption.
He said: “There are factors responsible for people who japa from the county. One of the factor is where they want to go, the health system is well advanced and people want to go and practice there and we may not have control over those interests.
“If the issues of insecurity is addressed, people will not want to run away from their locations. If the salaries of health officials is improve, then we would also know that you have that intended capacity. It’s not just addressing one component, there are several others that government needs to work on and addressed, once they are address, the issue of migration will be reversed.
“Yes there is japa, but then its not everybody that is leaving the country, so those that are here, we should make our contribution as public health physicians.”
Dr. Kene, who also supervised the Medical Outreach for the people of Agbere community in Sagbama local government organised by APHPN, and visited some health agencies in the state, Bayelsa Health Insurance Scheme (BHIS), and the State Coordinator of World Health Organization, said the government needd both the infrastructure, human personnel and medications to ensure well-being of the people.
He said: “When we are talking about development agency of government, we are talking about PHC, we are talking about health insurance, we are talking about ministry of health, we are talking about other organs of government that has to do with public health.
“The important thing is that, we build relationships with the local Communities by making impact in contributing to public health in the entire Nigeria not just only Bayelsa state, that is why we organized medical outreach in Agbere community. We are covering both the primary Healthcare center and cottage hospital nearby.” He said.
Also Speaking, the Chairman of APHPN in Bayelsa State, Dr. Enebipamo Amba-Ambaiowei, said as a public health physicians, they duty to provide healthcare, engage and make impact amongst members of the Communities.
She said why they carry out the medical outreach is to help the rural dwellers improve their healthcare a d lives generally, adding that over hundred people were attended to during the outreach.
A beneficiary, Akali Anthony, said he had challenges of malaria and diabetes, but after medical screening he was administered with drugs, which save him the high cost of affording them.
