Benue State Governor , Samuel Ortom has bagged the award of State Tertiary Health Institutions Ambassador by the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD.
The Governor was also honoured with an award of Excellence by the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Benue State branch owing to his enormous contributions to the medical profession.
Dr. Amina Onyewuchi, representative of the NARD National President, while presenting the award to the Governor, said the honour was in appreciation of his administration’s intervention in the area of residency training at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH, Makurdi.
She stated that God had made Governor Ortom the fountain of blessing for resident doctors in the state, stressing that during his administration, 90 percent of senior registrars in BSUTH had been produced.
Dr. Onyewuchi noted that within the year, Governor Ortom had given an executive order for the adoption and implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act in Benue, making BSUTH the first state tertiary health institution in Nigeria charged with such responsibility.
She noted that because of such exploits, NARD in her 40th Annual General Meeting held in Oghara, Delta State, considered the Governor as a distinguished ambassador worthy of its honour.
NMA Chairman Benue State, Dr. Samuel Otene said the association holds the Governor in high esteem because he had over the years proven to be a great friend and father, pointing out that the barrage of awards on him were well deserved.
Immediate past NMA Chairman Benue State, Dr. Joseph Ngbea stated that when the Governor’s achievements in the health sector were read at NARD’s AGM in Delta State, there was a standing ovation, stressing that he was rated first among three of his colleagues.
Governor Ortom in a response, said the medical profession deserves sacrifices by the professionals to save lives, noting that the honours would spur him to do more for the health sector and the state in general.
The Governor pledged his commitment to addressing challenges confronting the NMA including payment of 25 percent COVID-19 hazard allowances and absorption of medical Doctors who participated in the bond scheme into the mainstream of the service.
