SOFPON Urges Federal Govt, NARD Dialogue Over Industrial Dispute

National president of the Society of Family Physicians of Nigeria (SOFPON), Prof. Musa Dankyau, has urged the federal government and the National Association of Residents Doctors (NARD) to dialogue to resolve issues which prompted the just-concluded five-day warning strike.

At a press conference yesterday in Bauchi as part of the activities to commemoration of this year’s World Family Doctor Day (WFDD) with the theme: “Family Doctors: The Heart of Healthcare”, he said, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) as an umbrella body for medical practitioners and SOFPON an affiliate is working to ensure that both parties come back to the dialogue table to resolve the impasse.

He said SOFPON members were specialist physicians who are passionate in providing quality healthcare services to their patients and clients.

According to him, SOFPON is dedicated to improving the health of individuals, families, and communities through the academic and professional advancement of the specialty of Family Medicine.

He said family doctors are usually the first point of contact for patients seeking medical care moving ahead to providing continuous and comprehensive care to patients, while building long-term relationships and allowing them to understand their patients’ contexts and offer personalized care.

He also said that the SOFPON and its members serving in the frontlines of healthcare service delivery in Nigeria, fully and indeed argue that without this type of person-centered care, there is no chance of high -quality health care services and achieving Universal Health Coverage.

He described family doctors as coordinators of patient’s healthcare needs, working with other healthcare providers and hospitals, to ensure that patients receive the best possible care without duplication of services.

Dankyau said, “Family doctors take a holistic approach to healthcare, considering a patient’s physical, emotional, social, and psychological well-being.”