Newsfront Online …Telling the Public as it is
By Josephine Etuk
Medical doctors and all categories of workers both in public and private sectors have been charged to obtain the basic administrative and managerial skills in their dealings for enhanced productivity and organizational efficiency.
The call was made by the Chairman, State Civil Service Commission, Elder Sunny Akpadiaha while presenting a paper with the theme, “THE DOCTOR AS AN ADMINISTRATOR ” during the opening ceremony of Physicians Week 2019 of the Nigerian Medical Association, Akwa Ibom State chapter which took place in Uyo. Elder Akpadiaha , a seasoned Administrator, and a former Permanent Secretary and Head of Civil Service in the State opined that for any organization to be effective and to achieve its set objectives, there must be a leader with administrative capacity to keep the business processes running smoothly.
Acknowledging medical doctors as leaders in healthcare delivery team, Elder Akpadiaha stated that they were expected to be knowledgeable not only in their core professional duties but also in the overall management of health resources which he said include human, financial,material,time and information resources. He pointed out that Akwa Ibom State Government in a bid to groom workers for leadership role as Administrators has made it mandatory for all professional Civil /public servants to pass the Special Class Administrative/Professional Examination as a condition for their promotion to senior management positions.
The Chairman used the medium to commend the State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel for graciously approving recruitment of additional 150 medical Doctors and 250 Nurses into the service,saying that this would add more value to healthcare delivery in the State. Elder Akpadiaha noted the recent trend where doctors assume management positions by appointments outside their core professional areas and training and therefore canvassed for inclusion of administrative courses in the NMA’s Continuing Medical Education Training Program for Doctors so as to get them equipped for leadership role of performing administrative and managerial functions.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong in his goodwill message at the occasion urged the medical doctors to take ownership of their professional domain by addressing managerial and administrative deficiencies that may hamper their smooth operations. The occasion which featured presentation of awards to Elder Sunny Akpadiaha and Dr. Dominic Ukpong for their invaluable contributions to the development of the health sector, attracted the ranks and files of medical doctors and other healthcare professionals in the State among whom were, the former Commissioner for Health , Dr Okon Emmah, and wife Dr Helen Emmah, Chairman NMA, Akwa Ibom State , Dr. Nsikak Nyoyoko, immediate past Chairman, Dr Etido Ibekwe, and a host of other personalities.
