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Gov Emmanuel Commends NMA in Fight against COVID-19
By Charles Ajunwa
As the Delta variant of the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic continued to spread globally, Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, has commended the state branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) for their sacrifices since the outbreak of the COVID-19 stressing that medical practitioners were at the forefront and contributed immensely in the fight against the pandemic.
Governor Emmanuel also appreciated NMA for standing with the Akwa Ibom State Government in the fight against the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic adding that without the God-given wisdom on the medical practitioners, it would have been disastrous for humanity.
The governor who gave the commendation through his Commissioner for Lands and Water Resources, Pastor Umo Eno, at the opening ceremony of the 34th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference (AGM/SC) of Akwa Ibom State Branch of the Association, held in Uyo, the state capital, said he was worried by the perceived negative portrayals of the medical profession in Nigeria especially in the movies and urged NMA to correct the false and evil impression that doctors will not treat patients except they pay a deposit fund.
According to him, such perception was capable of injuring the reputation of the medical profession if not quickly corrected.
Pastor Eno who was the chairman of the occasion, called for a serious reorientation of the public and partnership with the Nigerian film industry, Nollywood to erase scenes depicting the profession in negative light out of their storylines. He recounted with admiration, the conviviality of medical doctors at the isolation centres and generally, in attending to their patients, emphasising that doctors are truly the people’s friend.
He called on the NMA to continue to partner with the Government and support the Governor Emmanuel-led administration to achieve his Completion Agenda.
While commending the association for choosing him as chairman of the occasion despite his non-medical background, he reminded them to remain tenacious to their Hippocratic oath.
Earlier in his speech, the Akwa Ibom State Chairman of NMA, Dr. Ime Sylvester Udoh, said the AGM affords them the opportunity to evaluate the events of the last year and
chart a way forward for the medical profession, adding that it also presents them with the privilege of presenting a leadership scorecard before the members.
He commended Governor Emmanuel for always coming through for doctors in the state and beyond and prayed for God’s blessings upon the governor and his family.
Mr. Udoh also commended Pastor Umo Eno for his support to the association especially during the CIVID 19 pandemic, noting that the choice as their chairman was in recognition of his continuous support to the body, saying “when you look through the profile of our chairman, it readily becomes very evident why he was specially chosen to play this role – the congruence in values.
“Colleagues, permit me to give your memory a little task. Recall that at the height of the 1st wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pastor Umo Eno, as a private citizen, which he then was, was one of the few who came to the aid of NMA by donating personal protective equipment which the association shared to members. Sir, your gift saved lives- the lives of Doctors and their patients alike,” he added.