THE Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, has advised doctors in the country to be humble and carry themselves with dignity, rather than “play God or compete with God”.
Ngige gave the advice yesterday while speaking at the 2nd Summit of Medical Elders Forum in Abuja.
The forum, organised by the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN), in collaboration with 50 forward, had as its theme, ‘Medical Profession: a Look into the Past, Present and Future.’
Nigige expressed his concerns over the state of health nationwide and opined that the medical profession was in danger.
“At no time in the history of NMA and the medical association, was I seeing our association and our profession ever being in danger, as I am seeing them now.
“Many people will not see it, but from where I am sitting and standing, I can see danger ahead.
“We are one of the oldest professions on earth, metamorphosing from natural and traditional healers to take away pain from people and consequentially save lives.
“We don’t create lives, God creates, we only preserve people’s lives through the act of God. In doing so, God has given us some powers and those powers are near his own to create.
“But, there is something God does not want, God does not want when he gives you powers you use it to try to say that you are like him or you are competing with him.
“God loves you to do that which he has asked you to do; to use that power with humility.
“Doctors should ask themselves questions; why is it that it’s when your colleagues are in government that you go on the greatest number of strikes?
“Some of these colleagues were Presidents, Secretary-Generals of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and even NARD,” Ngige asked?
