Reigners Church Collapse: AK NMA advocates for coroner's inquest

Arising from its fourth quarterly ordinary general meeting 2016 , the Akwa Ibom State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in statement signed by its Chairman Dr Aniekeme Uwah and Secretary Dr Nsikak Nyoyoko made the following resolutions:
1. That the government should as a matter of urgency set-up a functional Medical Emergency and

Disaster Management Response Team to provide a more coordinated response to disasters which may occur at any time and also enhance emergency preparedness.

2. That the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Akwa Ibom State Branch medical/disaster rescue mission committee should work closely with the government as it responds to this disaster, and also be carried along in all activities geared towards alleviating the pains and sufferings of the survivors.

3.That functional Trauma Centers should be built in the 3 (three) senatorial districts of the state at University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, UUTH, Immanuel General Hospital, Eket and Government General Hospital, Ikot-Ekpene to carter for emergencies such as the one the magnitude of the recent Reighners Bible Church Building collapse. The trauma centers should be complemented with efficient and effective ambulance services.

4.That the government should commence massive awareness creation on safety and emergency response for the populace through the mass (print and electronic) and social media because the people need to be safe while responding to disasters. 

5.That a Coroner’s Inquest be set-up to assist the Commission of Inquiry recently inaugurated by government, in arriving at the root cause of the death of the 26 persons during the Reighners Bible Church Building collapse. 

6.That more funds should be provided by the government to expand the scope of the training on Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Life Support (ALS) started by the Ministry of Health so that all the Doctors in the state could be trained to enhance emergency response preparedness.

7.That a Government General Hospital should be built in Uyo, the state capital as a matter of urgency as Uyo is the only State capital in the country without a Government owned secondary health facility thus adversely affecting the health care service delivery to the teeming population residing in the capital.

8.That the government should as a matter of urgency look into the deplorable state of accommodation of the house officers at the Government General Hospital in Oron and Ikot-Ekpene where the perennial lack of water and electricity power supply is adversely affecting the training of the house officers and could also lead to a loss of accreditation at the facilities.

9.That government should make funds available for the upgrade of the facilities at the House officers’ quarters, Abak road Uyo to enable the large numbers of Doctors who are yet to commence their housemanship to get placement to do so in the University of Uyo Teaching hospital (UUTH). It may be recalled that the government had in the past entered into a partnership with the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) where house officers, recruited and paid by the Akwa Ibom State government are trained at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital.

10. That the Speaker and the Members of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly should not relent on their oars until the Akwa Ibom State Primary Health Care Development Agency Bill and the State Health Insurance Bill are passed into law as this will promote Universal health Coverage (UHC) and ultimately enhance health care delivery to our people.

11. That modalities should be put in top gear by the management of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) to pay the full November salaries to our members in the Hospital before the Christmas holidays.

12. That the Government should put modalities in place for the commencement of the payment of the Fourteen (14) months salary arrears of Doctors employed in September 2014 and the 6 months CONMESS arrears of Doctors in government employ which the implementation commenced from 1st of June 2015. This will help to allay the fears and anxieties of those affected hence give them the right psyche and also put them in the right frame of mind to continue their humanitarian work of saving lives.