The Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, who spoke in Port Harcourt, when the new executive members of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) visited him, said rural dwellers were in dire need of medical services.
He said that the concentration of medical practice in the urban centers was increasing the challenges of an unbalanced doctor-to-population distribution in the Nigerian health sector.
“Most patients die in rural areas for sicknesses that can be easily treated. Your profession is a sacrifice to humanity,” he said.
He called on doctors and health practitioners to remain professional while carrying out their duties maintaining that the practice remained an indispensable aspect of the society.
In his remarks, the President of NMA, Prof. Chizindu Alikor, declared the readiness of his executive committee to work with the state government in promoting health services.
He called for the domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act (MRTA), proper training and of doctors, provision of group life insurance, and compensation for doctors and health workers.