The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Akwa Ibom State chapter, has disbursed over ₦11 million from its endowment fund to support five members battling various health challenges within the past year.
The state chairman, Dr. Aniekan Peter, made this known during the association’s 2025 Physicians’ Week dinner held on Saturday. This year’s celebration, which ran from October 19 to 26, had the theme “Healthcare as a Value Chain: Building Efficiency from Policy to Patient.”
“So far, we have paid over ₦11 million endowment fund to five of our members in one year,” Dr. Peter said. “When a doctor is sick and unable to finance his or her treatment, the association intervenes, providing between ₦2 million and ₦4 million depending on the severity of the illness.”
Highlighting some of the chapter’s achievements, he mentioned the resolution of pending CONMESS and promotion arrears for members at the University of Uyo, the resolution of entry-level issues for resident doctors at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, and a scholarship awarded to a brilliant but indigent child of a late colleague.
Dr. Peter also praised the resilience and dedication of doctors across the state despite the difficult working conditions. “While a doctor in a developed country may see 20 patients daily, in Nigeria, it’s not unusual for a doctor to attend to over 60 patients in a single day,” he said, noting that such pressure has led to burnout among many practitioners.
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He, however, commended Governor Umo Eno for recognizing the efforts of doctors by improving their wages, allowances, and hospital infrastructure.
The state Vice Chairman, Dr. Tiemah Akpabio, also spoke at the event, encouraging members to view themselves as the vital link between healthcare policy and effective patient care.
She urged doctors to embrace the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence in medicine, stressing that while AI would not replace doctors, it was important for them to stay informed and adapt to new technologies shaping the future of healthcare.
