MY PATH AS YOUR STEWARD

MY PATH AS YOUR STEWARD

By

Dr John Onyebueze (Igwe)

UNTH Candidate for NARD President 2016/2017 term.

 

Distinguished colleagues, it is with utmost humility that I express my regards to you all as I present my centre, UNTH for the NARD secretariat bid. I seek in this bid to serve you as President.

Permit me to introduce myself; I am a senior registrar in the department of Medicine, past ARD President, active congress member and foot soldier of NARD. As a foot soldier of NARD, I have along with my centre partaken actively and successfully in all NARD struggles since 2009. As a chapter President in 2010, CONMESS and the unification of NARD were the burning issues, these we collectively achieved with personal and centre sacrifices. My centre and my humble self were part of this history. Thereafter, I have contributed actively in all the activities and struggles of ARD and NARD, serving at different times in various committees of my local union and NARD including the remuneration, residency policy program, unification and national strike monitoring committees of NARD.

As your steward, I shall lead and remain committed to the foundation, pursuit and struggles of NARD as listed below;

·         Residency training program

·         Welfare and condition of service

·         Salary and other remuneration

·         Patient care and capacity development

·         Professional development, capacity building and medical tourism

·         Peculiar challenges of  State institutions and Federal institutions with few residents

·         Financial Reliance

·         National and Media 'Conscientization'



L-R Dr Ugwuoke Aloy Ifedinso, Dr John Onyebueze (Igwe), Dr Aneke Emmanuel

Residency Training Program

We shall under my stewardship continue to fight for the best practices in residency training program. From the presently approved residency training program paper work to adequate legislation that will ensure universal application and uniformity in all federal and state tertiary hospitals and consistent budgetary funding that will guarantee the smooth running of the program, free of political and executive recklessness and abuse.

 

Welfare and Condition of Service

We shall continue the struggle for improved welfare and condition of service in our hospitals both locally and nationwide, sustain the pressure for full and sustained implementation of the one year oversea training and sponsorship, address the incessant increments in our updates and exams fees by the award colleges.

 

Salary and Other Remuneration

Our fight for CONMESS, adjusted CONMESS and skipping shall be relentless until fully implemented in all federal and state hospitals for resident doctors. We will also remain mindful of other outstanding and unresolved issues in the CONMESS template including pay raise in our call duty allowance, payment of specialist allowance to senior registrars and principal medical officers,  payment of rural allowance to the remaining 3 hospitals adjudged situate in the rural communities and commensurate increase in our hazard allowance.

 

Quality patient Care

Quality patient care can only be sustained with adequately trained manpower and provision of basic facilities for patient management, emergency care and epidemics without negligent abuse to our lives. We shall engage government and hospitals management constructively to provide best environment for patient care and adequate training of resident doctors. Relentlessly, we shall also advocate for universal health insurance coverage for all patients.

 

Professional Development, Capacity building and Medical Tourism

While we advocate for adequate centres of excellence in all areas of practice, we shall immediately engage government to ensure re-equipment, refurbishment and revitalization of the already existing regional centres of excellence to ensure capacity building and professional development of the resident doctors and reverse the trend of the need for oversees  medical tourism for patients and doctors at such an alarming rate that depletes our economy and denies us an income of over 250 million per annum.  

 

Peculiar challenges of State institutions and Federal institutions with few residents

Dr John Onyebueze (Igwe)

From our term as secretariat elect, we shall ensure full incorporation of state tertiary health institutions and other federal centres with relatively small number of residents by instituting and collaborating with the caucuses to organize and sponsor programs on regional basis at such centres, thereby enhancing the awareness of NARD among our members as well as using the opportunity to fight for the problems of our members in those centres with management and relevant government agencies. In our administration, the burden of sponsoring our NEC meetings, OGM and AGM shall be shared with the secretariat as this would enhance hosting of meeting by all centres.

While the struggle for universal application of a well legislated and funded residency training program is being vigorously pursued, we shall in the interim continue to make advocacy visits to Chief Medical Directors, Governors and other Government officials of the states where doctors in their employ are still being shortchanged, to ensure they are provided same conditions of service as their colleagues under the Federal Government. We shall also routinely visit centres especially centres in distress and mediate in their crisis. 

Financial Reliance

We shall harness and explore avenues, business ventures and opportunities that would generate income to our union to enable NARD cope with financial pressures.

 

National Media 'Conscientization'

We shall run NARD that would form and pursue opinions on local and national issues affecting our training, the health sector and the contemporary society using both the media and all advocacy machinery to further improve the image and recognition of NARD.

 

Conclusion

Dear colleagues, to achieve all these, we need your mandate and your support to work as one united in struggle and spirit. My path as your steward shall be to serve you without fear or favour, to sacrifice my toil, tears and sweat for the call of NARD, tell the truth at all times to ensure properly/guided congresses and act truly and fiercely in defense of congress resolutions, to be accountable and responsible to NARD, to transparently and judiciously manage and improve our finances, and thereafter hand over a stronger, richer and indivisible NARD.

We may not achieve all, but we believe we are well positioned with the requisite experience and commitment to build on the foundation already laid by our strong and committed leaders past and present.

Thank you for your patience and time, thank you for the opportunity to bid for the secretariat of NARD with Dr Emmanuel Aneke of the department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and past General Secretary of our local union as Secretary General, and Dr Ugwuoke Aloy Ifedinso of the Accident & Emergency Department, incumbent President of our local union as Treasurer.

I humbly pray you to elect ARD, UNTH Ituku Ozalla, Enugu State, to host the NARD Secretariat for the 2016/2017 term. Hold us by our words, we promise and are strongly committed never to fail NARD.

Thank you once again.

Long Live, NARD.

Long Live, NMA.

Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 

Yours humbly,

 

Dr John Ugochukwu Onyebueze (Igwe)

08037659706

johnonyebueze@gmail.com

 

Brief Profile of our Candidates for the NARD Secretariat Election, 2015

Brief Profile of our Candidates for the NARD Secretariat Election, 2015

It is with pleasure that the publicity team of ARD UNTH present to you, the profile of our candidates for the NARD Secretariat Elections that will take place during the 2015 AGM in Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

DR ONYEBUEZE JOHN UGOCHUKWU

'IGWE'

 

Our  Candidate for NARD President.

A dogged, fearless, strong willed, knowledgeable, consistent, reliable, well informed and versatile politician are the least adjectives that can be used to describe this past President  of ARD UNTH.

'Igwe' as he is popularly called commenced his political career as far back as his secondary school days where he served as Senior Prefect.

He distinguished himself as a versatile politician, when as a medical student, he indulged in a lot of diverse political ventures and led co-student activists in several productive struggles. 

From his elected position as Project Implementation Officer of GEDAFF Club of UNEC, he became a member and protem Speaker of the Students Union Government (SUG) House of Representatives (HOR). His achievements as the people's Honourable' inspired him to serve his fellow students even more. 

He then served the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) as Chairman Constitution Review Committee and later as Chairman Joint Campuses Committee (JCC) of NANS Enugu State, where he acted/represented the NANS President in Enugu State. In this capacity, he led and won several struggles for the Nigerian students nationwide but especially in Enugu State. He proceeded to serve the Eastern Youth Forum (EYF) as the Public Relations Officer amidst other Political and Medical School engagements, and later a Member of Federal Government Committee on Students Accommodation.

The struggles he led as a students union leader/activist include but not limited to:

I) NANS demonstration in UNEC against sudden increase in  accommodation fee from about N1,200 to N10, 000 by federal government.

II) Demonstration by final year medical student against the Dean of  faculty medical science for non tolerance, high handedness and ineptitude to the welfare of final year medical student class.

In his final year in medical school, he was  corronated as the 2nd Traditional Ruler (Igwe) of the Great Imoke Hall and by extension, University of Nigeria Medical Students Association (UNMSA) and UNTH Community. In the typical Igbo traditional society, once a King, always a king, little wonder his title 'Igwe' has remained with him despite having left school many years ago.

Igwe  learnt from medical school and postulated the theory of the meeting point point between medicine and politics; "while medicine is responsiveness to relief of the plight of the sick, politics is responsiveness to the relief of the plight of the whole man and his society." 

As a resident in UNTH, he contested and was elected ARD UNTH President for the 2009/2010 term. He served out his term diligently and together with his team achieved a lot for the resident doctors in UNTH, some of which are highlighted;

1) Improved relationship between members, MDCAN, Management, NMA , Hospital Community, Patients and General Public, a feat subsequent administrations built on, and the dividends still being enjoyed by residents till date.

2) Upgrading of Call rooms, ARD Secretariat and General Doctors common room.

3) Secured allocation for ARD permanent secretariat site, about 3000square meters of land with approved building plan and bill which include a housing admin complex, auditorium, indoor game and lawn tennis/volley ball facilities and a mini guest house.

4) His administration fought fervently and succeeded in the allocation of more buildings for house officers quarters.

5) It was in the same struggle that his administration secured approval of police post and deployment of policemen by commissioner of police, Enugu state to the then newly secured house officers quarters.             

6) The good relationship they enjoyed with the hospital management and politicians assisted in the prompt payment and clearance of 3yrs arrears of exams and updates refunds to deserving residents then.

7) His administration purchased the first ever official ARD UNTH bus (Toyota sienna 2009 model)

8) With his wealth of experience, he spearheaded the expansion of ARD UNTH business and income generation to include the following 

I) Multi purpose shop and business centre that function 24 hours with sales of every consumables, travelers, household and body care items that has boosted the income of ARD UNTH with an annual profit above five hundred thousand Naira.

II) Kickstarted the purchase of Toyota Hiase commuter bus sold on hire purchase with an income generation at least 1 million Naira per deal.

9) Due to the toll the movement of UNTH from the temporary site in Enugu metropolis to its present permanent site in Ituku Ozalla, exerted on residents, Dr Onyebueze led EXCOs fought for and secured additional 6months extension for all residents under UNTH employment in 2009/2010 from their due date of completion of residency and extension for residents due for termination as at 2010

10) Being versatile and people oriented, he secured interest free loans from cooperative societies in UNTH for members using ARD rather than the individuals as surety. A feat that endeared him so much to the people.

11) He, in conjunction with other union leaders in UNTH, was instrumental to the delineation of  UNTH Ituku Ozalla as an electoral ward with registration centre and 2 polling booths. This has increased the visibility and political relevance of not just Doctors but all UNTH staff.

12) Together with his EXCOs, secured a 2 bedroom flat residence allocated in 2010 for housing ARD UNTH members and visitors as may be determined by the ARD UNTH leadership. This flat has been approved by the ARD UNTH congress to be the take off office for the NARD President in UNTH pending the establishment of NARD Secretariat in Abuja. It is important also to note that this office was also allocated to the Nigerian Journal of Medicine before the tenure was voluntarily truncated/given up during the NARD Unity/peace accord.

Since the expiration of his tenure as ARD President, Igwe has remained committed to the course of ARD UNTH and NARD in general. He has served NARD, ARD UNTH and NMA Enugu State in various capacities since he left office as ARD UNTH President;

I) Member, Nard remuneration committee 2010 that reviewed CONMESS templates. 

II) Member, Nard Residency Program Policy Review Committee 2010. 

III) Member, Nard Unification Committee 2010. 

V) Member, NMA Welfare committee  2011-2012 

VI) Chairman, ARD UNTH Constitution Review Committee 2011-2012 

VII) Chairman, ARD UNTH Medical Outreach Committee 2013/14. 

VIII) Member, NMA Enugu Medical Outreach Committee 2011 till date. 

These political escapades are to mention but a few. He has despite all these political involvements maintained good records both in medical school and in his residency training. Currently the Chief Resident of the department of Internal Medicine, Dr Onyebueze remains one of the most trusted trainee Cardiologists because of his vast and apt clinical acumen and skills.

He passed his Part one/Membership exams of the WACP  in 2013, and has until 2018 to complete his three years post part 1 clinical postings, one year interventional cardiology training and his six months extension as a UNTH Resident as at 2009(as explained above). This is not inclusive of the approved eighteen months window for exams. He is therefore prepared and has enough time to commit to the service NARD.

With Dr John Onyebueze, ARD UNTH has presented her finest Resident  Doctor to serve NARD in the 2016/2017, enjoying overwhelming physical, emotional, financial and social support from the Congress of ARD UNTH, who unianimously chose him for the job. We are convinced his experience and network will propel NARD in the positive direction.

Being known for his humility and respect for elders, Igwe will unarguably steer the ship of NARD from the point our present and past leaders have stopped, continuing but improving on what has been done already. In him NARD will get a leader who will consult widely with past and present leaders of NARD and courageously defend our well informed decisions in all quarters. His experience will further add value to the negotiating and lobbying power of NARD.

As a chapter, all of us in ARD UNTH unanimously solicit your support for our bid to host the Secretariat of NARD for the 2016/2017 term. 

The value of your support will be priceless and we most humbly solicit for it.

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DR EMMANUEL ANEKE

Our candidate for NARD Secretary General

A very sensitive, dogged and upright politician, never loud but always calculated. Strong willed and strong minded, meticulous to the core. 

He started his political outing in medical school, where he served as a Member of University of Nigeria Medical Student's Association (UNMSA)House of Representatives (HOR) for two consecutive terms, 2002/2003 and 2003/2004. While in the UNMSA House, he was appointed Deputy Editor of UNMSA, a position he again held for two consecutive years, 2003 to 2005.

His history in UNMSA cannot be complete without mentioning the roles he played in the two most important Committees of UNMSA namely PHPC and ABIC Committees. In 2004, he served as Chairman of the revered Audit and Budget Implementation Committee (ABIC) and the next year (2005) served as the Secretary, Public Health Programmes Committee (PHPC) of UNMSA.

In his final year in the University (2006), despite the stress and academic pressure then, he still actively served as the Secretary of the then Final year Medical Students Hostel (Imoke Hall) and same year served as Secretary of the year book committee of his class.

He was given the nickname 'Naked' while in the University because of his persistent and unshakeable stand for the truth in all circumstances.

In UNTH, the story of the Secretariat of ARD UNTH cannot be complete without noting his giant strides as the Secretary of ARD UNTH, 2013/2014 term. The complete overhaul and addition of new facilities in the ARD Secretariat, not only improved services rendered to Doctors and other people in the UNTH community, but also generated more income for the Association. Little wonder, despite inheriting subtle debts, he not only cleared the debts, but also improved the welfare packages of the staff(non-Doctors) of the Secretariat (what is good for the geese is also good for the gander) and still left a large sum of money for the incumbent Secretary of ARD UNTH to build on. 

2014, being a quite turbulent year for NARD and NMA, he, together with the then ARD UNTH President Dr Obinna Nduagubam and our candidate for NARD Presidency (Dr John Onyebueze) attended  ALL the meetings of NARD and NMA in 2014 efficiently ensuring adequate representation of ARD UNTH and NMA Enugu State.

A good team player, worked assiduously with the then President of ARD UNTH and other members of the EXCOs, to achieve these tremendous feats.

It was based on his track record of achievements that the ARD UNTH congress unanimously approved his appointment by our incumbent President, Dr Aloy Ifedinso Ugwuoke to  serve as the Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee for NARD OGM recently hosted by ARD UNTH.

The team work, organization and success of that OGM which we believe a good number of delegates and NARD NOC members experienced and appreciated is an insight into the stuff Dr Emmanuel Aneke is made of. The smooth operation and leadership qualities exhibited by himself and our amiable President is responsible for the great motivation with which all members of the LOC worked.

A vote for ARD UNTH during the elections, will be a vote for giving NARD a continued excellence in service delivery, which the Office of the NARD Secretary General plays a critical role in.

We can't move without your support, our impact will be worthless without your support, we are determined to serve NARD in the 2016/2017 term.

We sincerely solicit for your invaluable support in the Secretariat election.

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 DR IFEDINSO ALOY UGWUOKE

Our Candidate for NARD Treasurer

Humorous, easily accessible, financially prudent and serving President of ARD UNTH.

Dr Ugwuoke was actively involved in Students Union Government politics while in Medical School. In 2002, he was elected President of the Senate of SUG UNN (only one Senate exists for both Nsukka and Enugu Campuses of UNN) for the 2002/2003 term.

He championed a KGB movement that was taking and exposing pictures/video recordings of all the dilapidated and inhuman states of UNN hostels /facilities to Press and FG which attracted a positive intervention from Emir of Zau Zau ( Alhaji Shehu Idris and then chancellor to UNN) who spearheaded/lobbied for FG release of special intervention funds to UNN for rehabilitation of all the hostels/facilities in UNN( Enugu campus inclusive). This amounted to hundreds of millions of naira.

He was later elected as the National Speaker/coordinator Parliamentary Assembly of Nigeria Students for 2003/04 term. This was floated then to raise alarm and bring to National consciousness dilapidation of structures/facilities in tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

As a young House Officer in ESUTH, Parklane, he was elected House officers' leader/negotiator/ speaker in 2006.  He Spearheaded the  "Tsunami movement" that year in Parklane that made the then  CMD ESUTH Parklane to start paying House officer's more than Residents. This strategic warfare created an injustice and ultimately lead to the increment in every other Doctors pay, a record not so soon to be forgotten in the history of ARD ESUTH, Parklane Enugu.

He was elected President ARD UNTH Ituku/Ozalla Enugu in december 2014 and through "Operation fast fast", engaged UNTH with creative diplomatic approach which finally gave birth to call room items worth over N7million within 2months in office to sort call rooms in UNTH that used to look like shrines.

He is currently leading the ARD UNTH struggle through a "Guerrilla warfare" machinery to get UNTH Doctors Skipped and get other local issues sorted out.

Known for his financial prudence and accountability, we have no doubt, that with the planned growth in the resources of NARD, Dr Ifedinso Aloy Ugwuoke will be an invaluable asset to NARD especially in prudent release and preservation of NARD funds.

A vote for UNTH Ituku Ozalla in the coming elections will usher in Dr Ifedinso Aloy Ugwuoke as the NARD Treasure for 2016/2017 term.

Your support is invaluable to us, we can only conquer if we have your support.

We most humbly solicit for your support.

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Thanks for your time.

Dr Chukwuma C. Oraegbunam

for ARD UNTH Publicity Team