Crisis as two leaders emerge in Lagos NMA

Two factions have emerged from the annual election conducted by the Nigerian Medical Association, Lagos State chapter. The election, which took place at different venues, was supervised by different national officials of the association. A former President of the Lagos Medical Guild, Dr. Olumuyiwa Odusote, emerged as the Lagos NMA chairman- elect at the election held at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, Yaba while Dr. Olubunmi Owojowolo was declared the winner at the election that held at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba. Both parties who spoke to our correspondent on Sunday claimed that they had followed the NMA national constitution by announcing the planned venue of the election. Odusote, the chairman- elect of one of the factions, said the association was committed to reconciling members of the other faction under its umbrella. He said, “The national body of the association was invited into the matter through a petition that was written by four affiliates of the association. The national NMA then set up a two-man committee to investigate. They visited Lagos a week ago and each side presented its positions. “NMA then issued a directive that no election should hold in LUTH or LASUTH and we should look for a neutral venue for the election and we fulfilled this and other criteria for the election to hold.” According to Odusote, the association, over the years had been fragmented as private doctors were being sidelined in many activities carried out by the state NMA. Odusote said, “If we can harmonise the efforts of our private practitioners with that of the government to achieve a robust health sector that Lagos needs, that will be better and we are committed to ensuring that this happens. To achieve this, we need all hands on deck; and our goal is to ensure that we reconcile all practitioners of medicine in Lagos.” Also speaking at the swearing in of the newly- elected officers in LUTH, the other factional leader of the state NMA, Owojowolo, insisted that the association was not divided in the choice of its leadership. Owojowolo said, “We are all doctors united with the aim to provide quality healthcare delivery to the public in general. We will ensure, as officials of the association, to give the sector the best and to run the association according to the set out rules and regulations.”