The MANSAG Blog

MANSAG AT THE STRATEGIC RETREAT WITH THE FMOH-CALL FOR ENGAGEMENT BY UK DOCTORS

The EXCO:At your servicePosted by Dilly Anumba Sat, July 24, 2010 18:25:47
Dear all

A while ago I requested for memoranda from all members and friends of MANSAG to inform a retreat with the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Health. The retreat was to to review a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) agreed in 2006 with them and the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas and the Nigerian National Volunteer Service (NNVS). I am grateful to all those who sent in comments. These informed a detailed document which I circulated to delegates and the Nigerian Press at the meeting in Abuja this week Monday 19 and Tuesday 20th July 2010.

I am very grateful to the two delegates who the executive committee approved to join me to this retreat: Mr Jacob Akoh, Chair Professional and Careers development and Mentoring (PCM) Committee, and Mr Leroy Edozien (member of PCM committee, and Chair of the Royal College of Ob-Gyn- Nigeria Liaison Group). Not only did Leroy and Jacob free themselves to attend, they made invaluable contributions to both our preparation before the meeting and to deliberations during the extensive discussions.

I will be reporting our deliberations and decisions in greater detail soon. Suffice it to say that, in spite of myself, we all left the meeting with considerable optimism that Diaspora involvement with Health matters in Nigeria seems a genuine desire of this government and this Minister. The meeting had representation from the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (President and Secretary), the Nigerian Institute for Medical Research NIMER (the Director General), The Chair of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors of tertiary hospitals, The Registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, the Nigeria Medical Association (The President), and Directors-General for health for many States of the Federation to name a few. Although discussions were often heated, there was a commonality of ideas, desires and decisions that was encouraging. The contents of a new MOU were agreed. Key aspects covered in the new MOU (being crafted through legal eyes) are Medical education, Biomedical Research, Training, Service delivery and Clinical Quality Assurance (clinical governance, institution of health quality outcome measures, and CPD for doctors in Nigeria). Due emphasis will be placed on periodic monitoring of implementation by a technical team from all parties to the MOU.

Finally, may I passionately appeal that every Nigerian Doctor in the UK reconsiders and engages with MANSAG even if just by regularising their membership. I encourage people to submit their areas of interest and expertise to the secretary general for our records. We will need every hand and every specialty if we are to fulfil our own side of the bargain. Even if medical mission work to Nigeria does not float your personal boat, there are many ways you can contribute to the aspirations of MANSAG, either here in the UK or in Nigeria. We will endeavour to keep the welfare of our members here, and the nurture of our younger colleagues, as our key priorities. However we cannot ignore the fact that we are a charity formed because we share ties to a country called Nigeria. We therefore should owe that country some duty. Rightly or wrongly I realise that there seems a credibility gap between some Nigerian doctors and MANSAG leading to their reluctance to engage. I want to say to all that NOW is the time for us to bridge that gap and work as one. As an umbrella association, a strong MANSAG will enable us better facilitate, or collaborate with, other Doctor groupings in the UK such as ALUMNI associations, speciality groupings etc who have also done good work despite all odds. As MANSAG works hard to overcome those odds, the work of these organisations and groupings for Nigeria and in Nigeria will be facilitated also. Please let us all engage and work together at this time. I am persuaded that this could be the dawn of a new era.

Thank you.

Wiith kind regards.

Dilly Anumba
MANSAG PRESIDENT
Web: http://www.mansag.org

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Meeting in Birmingham

The EXCO:At your servicePosted by Dr G.T.Igodo Sat, February 20, 2010 18:12:52

The date was Saturday 19th September 2009.

The items on the agenda for this inaugural meeting of the newly-elected EXCO included:

1. Minutes of last meeting and matters arising from the minutes.
2. Reports of “transition understudy”.
3. Membership survey synopsis
4. Priorities for 1st year in office
5. Membership database
6. MANSAG standing committees for 2009/2010
7. Plymouth AGM and inauguration - collective strategy
8. Association finance.
9. How can we engage trainees?
10. Any other business

They came from far, they came from nigh. Many travelled long distances at personal costs in order to make it. Omi came from Matlock having abandoned another meeting there for many hours. Deinde came all the way from London and spent the night locally despite an engagement in London. Steve drove down from Manchester and cancelled another engagement. Unfortunately Nkem(not pictured) became indisposed at the last minute and therefore could not join but was clearly looking forward to being at this meeting.

They argued and debated, they disagreed and then they agreed in the true spirit of democracy. Five hours later, they had to disperse to their various locations. Everyone left the meeting feeling greatly enriched and fired up with enthusiasm for the challenges ahead. The newly elected President said: "I left the meeting very confident that together we can achieve a good few things for MANSAG during our forthcoming period of stewardship".

Since then the new EXCO have swung into action...literally hitting the ground running.

VIRTUAL MEETING ROOM

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