By Mohammed Nasir Shuaibu (Bauchi State Correspondent)
The Nigerian Chapter of West African College of Physicians, on Thursday, helds it 47th Annual General and Scientific meeting in Bauchi.
Speaking during the official ceremony of the event held at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, New Site at Gubi Campus, the National Chairman, who doubles as Vice President, Mr Jarmia Madaki, said the College was established on 23rd October 1976 as an organ of the World Health Organisation (WHO) which is an agency of Economic Community of West African States (ECWAS).
According to Madaki, the College in each country is referred to as chapter and that there are thirteen chapters. He said Nigeria is one of the thirteen and the largest chapters and also a founding chapter.
In so doing, the College rotates their Annual General meeting as a way of including every body. Nigeria has also taken a pattern of the West African College of Physicians chapter in line with this inclusivity.
He said that, "The College has very one important tradition which, every year, bring experts to one country to actually look at issues that affect the sub-region including Nigeria. To take a theme and deliberate on it, we bring our experts to look at it, we holds symposium, we make special presentations and discussion which at the end, we would come out with suggestions and recommendations to the government".
He added that the theme will be subjected to scientific rigour "through our discussion, through paper presentations, through symposium and at the end we come up with a communique which we hope will actually help and provide guide that would assist the Government on how best to deliver healthcare in this difficult time. We would be looking at two safetys on this healthcare delivery in case of disaster and also the manance of briandrian as its affect healthcare delivery and medical education".
The theme of this year's AGM is "Health Related Sustainable Development Goals: The Progress So Far In Nigeria".
In his speech, the Bauchi State Deputy Governor, Auwal Jatau, commended the chapter of the Nigerian College of Physicians for choosing the State from theregion to host the event.
Jatau informed the gathering that the Bauchi state government under the leadership of Governor Bala Mohammed has placed high priority in the areas of health sector by declaring a State of Emergency on health which health summit was symbolises.
He said that to further improve on our public and private health sector, additional tertiary healthcare facilities from the initial one comprising of State Specialist Hospital and Federal Medical Center, Azare, as well as Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Airforce Referral Center and National Obstristic and Festula Centre in Ningi respectively.
All these achievements, he said, was as a result of reinforcement by the establishment of two high health institutions of College of Medical Sciences at the ATBU and the Federal University of Health Sciences and Nutrition in Azare.
In addition to that, 23 specialist doctors, 116 community health workers comprising nurse's and midwife's, 1,313 health workers across different cader, 606 medical and para-medical staff were employed in June, 2023.
He assured the Chapter of his governor Bala's continued support for the upliftment and promotion of all activities in the State.
Earlier in his speech, the LOC chairman, Dr Alkali Mohammed, said the Chapter had conducted a medical community outreach to 2,000 rural dwellers on various illnesses at Durum village as part of their program schedule in every segment of the Annual General Meeting and also as part of their social responsibility.
He thanked the CMD of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital for accepting to host the event and the State Governor, Bala Mohammed, for honoring their invitation despite his tide schedule.
The event witnessed the presence of high profile personalities, including heads of different health institutions across the region, fellows, technocrats as well as politicians. NNL.
