By Takuruku Emmanuel, Lafia
The Nasarawa State House of Assembly, has urged the state government to initiate special scholarship for indigent medical and other science related courses to boost the health manpower of the state in future.
The Assembly said doing so would go a long way in boosting the capacity of the state indigenous doctors,pharmacists and other health professionals who will have the health interest of the people of the state at heart not like the non indigenes doctors and other health professionals who always embarked on strike without due considerations.
The speaker, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, made the call when the Chairman, House Committee on Health, Hon. Usman Labaran Shafa (APC Toto/Gadabuke) raised the issue under matters of public interest during the House proceedings in Lafia, Wednesday.
The speaker said that if the state government encouraged the indigenous students to read medicines and other science related courses via provision of special scholarship to them it will go a long way in addressing a lot of problems associated with health workers strike in the state.
” I want to thank Hon Shafa,the mover of this motion and all of you for contributing positively on this important matter of the health of our people.
” When I heard about the health workers strike by the state and local government workers, I immediately directed the House committees on Health and Local government respectively to intervene and resolve all their differences amicably.
” The health workers at the local government level suspended their strike by reasoning with us as most of them are our indigenes while those at the state level refused to suspend their strike despite the house intervention,our fathers the traditional rulers also intervened and the state government through the deputy Governor who is their colleague also spoke to them severally on the matter but they refused.I was surprised even with the threat of COVID 19.
“I am not saying that doctors and other health workers should not be giving what belongs to them or that they should not pursue their rights no,I am saying that they should be considerate and have human feeling as they took oath to protect lives and strike should be the last option not first option”
” Honestly, I have agreed with all the contributions made by all of you by passing the following resolutions to the effect that –
” The state government as a matter of urgency initiate the establishment of medical school in the state, particularly at the state owed university, Keffi and to encourage our indigenous students to read medicines and other science related courses to serve our people.
” The state government is encourage to arrange for special scholarship for our medical students studying in different universities.
” the state House of Assembly is also of the view that professional ethics of medical doctors should be respected and establishment of private hospitals by engaged medical doctors by the state government should be discouraged or possibly be scrapped, ”
Earlier, Hon Usman- Labaran Shafa( APC-Toto Gadabuke) the Chairman, House Committee on Health while moving the motion appealed to his colleagues to support his motion to enable the state government train indigenes in medicine and other science related courses for long run benefit.
Shafa while giving reasons for his motion said that most of the doctors that always went on strike without considering its implications on citizens or putting the interest of the state in their hearts do find it easier because they are non indigenes, hence the need for the state government to train its indigenous students in medicines and other science related courses.
” I want this Honourable House to give optimal consideration on my motion that the state government should as a matter of urgency and necessity to initiate an avenue or intervention.
” Such as special scholarship that will encourage and train our indigenes in medicines, pharmacies and other science related courses so that in the long run between 5 and 8 years or above.
“We will begin to have our indigenous medical professionals and the general health being of the citizens will be guaranteed through a bond between the state government and the beneficiaries of the scholarship, ” he said.
This Shafa said by then the state will be exporting doctors to other states instead of importing.
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