The Nigeria Medical Association, Ondo State Chapter, has urged government at all levels to make quality health service available to the people instead of embarking on medical tourism.

The Chairman of NMA in the state, Dr. Stella Adegbehingbe, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on the sidelines of the 2021 physician week in Akure.

Adegbehingbe urged the Federal Government and the 36 state governors to ensure regular investment in the health system, to make it work.

Adegbehingbe, who led other members of the association to donate food items to Hope Orphanage in the Shagari area of Akure, also called for regular payment of medical doctors’ salaries.

She said regular payment of salaries of doctors would prevent their mass exodus in search of greener pastures outside Nigeria’s shores.

The NMA boss also advised state governors to look into the welfare of doctors and other health workers.

“It is nice for the governors to make sure that the health system in the country works very well.

“They should provide all the equipment and pay salaries regularly so that they can also access good healthcare here.

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“It is not everything that should be taken abroad, we have qualified medical personnel in this country that can compete with their counterparts anywhere in the world,” she said.

Adegbehingbe also urged Nigerians to pay attention to the plight of the less privileged in the country, saying that, “we have many people who are living in abject penury.”

“We decided to come to this orphanage because we have many indigent people in the society. We need to reach out to them regularly by providing food items and other materials.

“Most of them have the challenges in having basic needs, it will be good if we provide for them and also to help indigent children with payment of school fees,” she added.