By Our Correspondent
The Nigerian Medical Association, (NMA) Anambra State yesterday said it is mobilizing it’s five zonal structures of Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi Aguata and Ihiala against Ebola disease.
Chairman of NMA in Anambra State Dr Ndubuisi Arua, disclosed this to newsmen during the Nigerian Association Anambra State 2026 Physicians Week, held at the NMA House, Federal Medical Center Onitsha Anambra State.
The 2026 Physicians Week, whose theme is “Securing the Future of Medicine in Nigeria” according to Dr Arua, provides the members with an opportunity to reflect on their calling as physicians and also help them to evaluate their contributions to the evolving health landscape of Nigeria.
He said the celebration is also a time to celebrate the resilience, dedication and compassion that define the medical profession, even in the face of numerous challenges that confront healthcare delivery in Nigeria.
He said that two lectures by two of its members Prof. Victor Igwenuike Onyiaorah and Prof. Chigozie Ifeadike “Saving the saver : Promoting physician’s well being and preventing burnout, cardiovascular disease and premature death” and Transforming medicine; Harnessing digital health, innovation and future -ready medical education, speaks directly to physicians and is an opportunity for them to pause and look inward, take care of themselves and then call their attention to the fast growing world of medical technology.
Dr Arua also disclosed that the association is using the annual Physicians Week to start awareness campaigns, and to remind the members of signs and symptoms of Ebola virus, saying that it will help the doctors to remain vigilant and maintain high index of suspicion of the disease.
He equally disclosed that the association is carrying out campaigns for proper environmental sanitation, food hygiene and personal hygiene in all the five zonal structures of the state namely, Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi, Aguata and Ihiala, to enable them reach out to all the villages and hamlets in the state.
He said the association is also working to ensure personal protective equipments, drugs and other consumables are made available in the hospitals, clinics and treatment centers across the state.
According to Dr Arua, “NMA is ever ready to help the government and people of the state as a group and in our individual places of work in the fight to prevent and treat Ebola diseases.”
“NMA Anambra state is association of medical doctors of all specialties. We are the frontline clinical personnels in all medical establishments in the state, so we are ever ready and prepared for any infectious disease outbreak particularly Ebola.
“We are using the annual physicians week to start awareness campaigns, reminding our members of signs and symptoms of Ebola. This will help make them remain vigilant and maintain high index of suspicion of the disease.
“We are also carrying the awareness campaign through radio and television to reach the general public and all nooks and crannies of the state.
“Campaigns for proper environmental sanitation, food hygiene and personal hygiene are ongoing through NMA five zonal structures of Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi, Aguata and Ihiala. This will help reach out to all the villages and hamlets in the state.
“We are also working to ensure that personal protective equipments, drugs and other consumables are made available in our hospitals, clinics and treatment centers. So NMA is ever ready to help the government and people of the state as a group and in our individual places of work in the fight to prevent and treat Ebola diseases.”
Earlier in his welcome address, Dr Arua commended the Local Organizing Committee, of the Physicians Week 2026 Dr Uzo Ezeokoli and his team for their effort in putting up occasion together.
He said that the Physicians Week provides them with an opportunity to reflect on their calling as physicians and also help them to evaluate their contributions to the evolving health landscape of the nation.
“It is a time to celebrate the resilience, dedication and compassion that define medical profession, even amidst the numerous challenges that confront health delivery in Nigeria.
“The theme of this year’s celebration- “Securing the future of medicine in Nigeria“ sub-theme, Saving the savers: Promoting physicians’ wellbeing and preventing burnout, cardiovascular disease and premature death” and Transforming medicine, harnessing digital health, innovation and future- ready medical education” speaks directly to us physicians and is an opportunity for us to pause and look inward, take care of ourselves and then call our attention to the fast evolving world of medical technology.
“ I must appreciate the NMA Onitsha zone and the local organizing committee for a well planned week. My thanks also goes to all our zones affiliates, including MDCAN, ANPMP, MWAN, ARD NADHUS and Civil Servant Doctors for their unalloyed support so far, I urge you to continue in your effort to give our association the best.
Delivering a lecture on the topic” Securing the future of medicine in Nigeria, Prof Igwebuike Onyiaorah, said future of Medicine in Nigeria is wholistic, and not just about what the doctors do, but about every other person that contributes to medicine.
“Medicine in Nigeria is beyond the people that contributes to it, it is also about other things that are associated to health which are fundamental, namely sanitation, preventive health, security, availability of water, food security, because the insecurity that chases our customers away from the farms makes us anxious all the time and should be addressed.
Federal government to ensure that the budgetary allocation to health is up to 15% of the national budget as requested by the World Health Organization, even if that cannot be achieved, we should begin to approximate that intentionally, raise it from 5% to 10% and let the money be used judiciously.
“If we are able to do that, the Nigerian person will be healthier and is only a healthy person that can improve the economy, help self and the immediate environment.
Some of the things that will make our doctors and even professionals outside the country come back to work here is remuneration, the working condition should change. We should see a doctor and nurse that have office that at least better than his house.
“The Federal and State should ensure the protection of people on essential duties, including Doctors, pharmacists, nurses and other health workers, including the journalist who provides information that help all professionals on security and other matters.
Also delivering a lecture during the occasion, Prof. Chigozie Ifeadike, who spoke on “Saving the savers, promoting physicians well-being and preventing burnout, cardiovascular disease and premature death urged the physicians to create time to take care of themselves.
She said that physicians should pay attention to their own lives, adding that they need to be alive to take care of their patients.
Earlier in his welcome address, host of the ceremony, NMA Onitsha zone, through its Chairman Dr Christopher Okonkwo, said the ceremony is special to physicians because it is a time they celebrate their noble profession and remind the public of the selfless services and sacrifices they make daily to protect the health of Nigerians.
