NMA Advocates Privatization Of Federal Tertiary Hospitals
Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has advocated the privatization of all federal tertiary healthcare facilities in the country.
Under the proposed arrangement, Federal Government would take 30 per cent of the equity, core investors (51 per cent), while the remaining 19 per cent of share of the privatized hospitals, would go health workers.
NMA President, Dr. Ojinmah Uche, announced the proposal, during the Anambra State NMA annual general meeting and scientific conference in Awka.
He advocated the sale of the privatized hospitals to the core investors after five years of operations.
According to him, 51 per cent majority share to the core investors would enable them to run the hospitals, fix salaries, hire and fire staff and to make profits.
The NMA president said the proposal if adopted, would reverse the ongoing migration of doctors from the country, and increase the commitment of doctors and other health workers to service delivery.
He suggested, “51 % of shares be sold to core investors who become majority shareholders and in thus responsible for day to day running of the institutions,
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fixing of salary, hiring and firing and make sure it turn in profits after tax.
30% should be should be retained by the federal government so as to maintain some control as pertian to price and policy of the institutions thereby protecting the masses.
This shall be sold to core investors after five years because should have been set and stable by then.
“19% of the shares should be sold to workers so as to strengthen their commitment to the institutions on which they now partly own and shall beside salaries earn as dividends as approved by annual general meeting of the stakeholders,”
He also called for healthcare Development Bank with single digits loan interest to facilitate the development of the health sector in the country.
According to him,the single digits loan shall have morotorium of five for repayment.
Ojinmah further suggested that the original verified degree certificates and certificate of indemnity from NMA shall serve as collateral for accessing the loans.
He also advised government to provide guidance on setting up multi specialist hospitals by doctors with special facility, targeting multi specialist centre.
According to him, Nigeria can no longer afford to sit idle by, while her brightest and best exited in droves as this leaves the health sector in tatters.
NMA president also called for the return of mandatory one year oversee clinical attachment as part of residency training programme.
