From Taiye Joseph, Ilorin
The Chairman of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Dr Ibrahim Oloriegbe, has urged medical practitioners across Nigeria to combine professional competence with compassion and conscience in the discharge of their duties.
Oloriegbe made the call in Ilorin while delivering the keynote address at the 27th National Conference of the Islamic Medical Association of Nigeria (IMAN), with the theme, “Compassion, Competence and Conscience: Integrating Islamic Values in Nigerian Medical Practice.”
The former medical practitioner stressed that the challenges confronting Nigeria’s healthcare sector, including inadequate funding and poor hospital infrastructure, should not diminish doctors’ commitment to caring for patients.
He said healthcare professionals must continually update their knowledge, treat patients with empathy and remain conscious of Allah’s guidance while providing medical services.
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Oloriegbe particularly urged practitioners to attend to patients irrespective of their financial status, stressing that the preservation of human life should take priority over monetary considerations.
“I urge participants to remain resolute. As medical practitioners, we must ensure that we attend diligently to patients, from interrogation and testing to assessment and prescription of drugs, in order to save lives.
“Saving one life is worth more than money. Whoever saves a patient’s life saves humanity,” he said.
He added that doctors should remember that patients sometimes approach healthcare facilities in moments of fear and vulnerability and should therefore be treated with kindness.
“I urge you to bear in mind that one day, someone may approach you with nothing in his or her hands but fear in their eyes. Treat such a person with compassion, knowing that Allah will reward you,” Oloriegbe said.
The President of IMAN, Prof. Adekunle Ibrahim, said the conference came at a critical time when Nigeria was facing a range of healthcare challenges, including infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases and inadequate infrastructure.
He said the challenges also presented opportunities for innovation, leadership and principled action in the health sector.
“Our country faces evolving challenges, ranging from infectious diseases to non-communicable diseases and health infrastructural gaps. Yet, in every challenge lies an opportunity for leadership, innovation and principled action,” Ibrahim said.
According to him, IMAN has remained committed to promoting quality healthcare while drawing inspiration from Islamic teachings on the sanctity of human life and service to humanity.
“IMAN has always been guided by the Qur’an, which encourages us to uphold the sanctity of life and serve humanity with excellence,” he said.
Ibrahim disclosed that the association had pursued several initiatives, including advocacy for Ibadah-friendly healthcare services, capacity building, mentorship, research, strategic partnerships and financial sustainability.
He said the initiatives had contributed significantly to the growth and impact of the association.
In his welcome address, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Prof. Lukman Abdulrahman, described IMAN as the umbrella organisation for Muslim healthcare professionals in Nigeria.
Abdulrahman said the association was established to unite Muslim health professionals in upholding the demands of their faith while promoting the sanctity of human life and appropriate Islamic practices in healthcare delivery.
He disclosed that IMAN had conducted a medical outreach for more than 2,000 patients across Kwara State, covering medical consultations, eye care, cataract surgery, cervical cancer screening, family planning, laboratory investigations and other specialist services.
He added that preliminary screening had been carried out across the three senatorial districts of the state through cottage and general hospitals, resulting in the identification of nearly 100 surgical cases requiring treatment.
According to him, the organisers were committed to providing comprehensive care to beneficiaries at their first point of contact, while patients requiring further treatment would be referred to appropriate healthcare facilities within their communities.
Also speaking at the event, the Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Dr Amina El-Imam, who represented Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, commended IMAN for its humanitarian interventions and contributions to healthcare delivery in the state.
She acknowledged the association’s efforts in complementing government’s healthcare initiatives, particularly through its medical outreach and support for vulnerable residents.
