The national executive of the Nigerian association of health educators (NAHE), has inaugurated it Bayelsa state chapter.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony in Yenagoa, the state capital at the weekend, national president of the association, Prof. Rasheed Shehu, represented by its national Secretary, Dr Stephen Ileoye Aina said over the years, professional health educators have been relegated to the background.
He stressed that the association’s members whose jobs are mainly educational have not been giving their rightful place in the health sector due to the formerly unavailability of a body to fight for their rights.
Shehu hinted that it was as a result of the bare lack of a distinct association to cater for the wellfare of health educators across the nation that has before now led to the undoing of health educators as professionals, saying this injustices and usurpation of their duties dawned on them as professionals in the field across the country to form the new association to help members in get fulfilment wherever they ply their profession in the nation.
He said:”This association has come to stay in Nigeria. Bayelsa is today being inaugurated as the 16th member of NAHE. Recently we were in Delta state to inaugurate their chapter.
“There’s no health without health educators. While the duty of medical doctors is about curative medicine, ours is in preventive medicine. But as professionals, our duties are being usurped by nonprofessionals in various offices where our members were supposed to work and head.
“As we speak, there’s a bill to create the board of Health Educators Practitioners Council already passed by the National Assembly and waiting for presidential assent.
“When assented to, this law would then empower the council to regulate the activities of members y our profession as well as register and grant approvals to those who are qualified to practice as health educators.”
Earlier, the state outgone interim President of the association, Prof.(Mrs) Joy Hamilton-Ekeke has tasked members of the association on resilience, saying there was no cause of alarm as the association is on the right pedestal for growth in the state.
The academics emphasized that the state-owned Niger Delta University currently run academic Programmes in health education from first degree levels to doctors of philosophy degrees, as well as running both part time and sandwich Programmes in the profession.
Also speaking the newly inaugurated substantive state President of the association, Dr Doubra Walker promised to take the association to the expected heights, calling for the support of members.
This was just as he restated that the problem facing members of the association in their various places of assignments in the state would be looked resolved in consultation with the national executive.
Other members of the state executive of NAHE inaugurated were, Mrs Jenny Berezi, Vice President, Mr James Ewhrudjakpo, Secretary and Mrs Ekotei Seiyefa as Public relations officer.
Also inaugurated as executives were, Mr Victor Lawrence, Financial Secretary, Mr Claudius Igwe, Treasurer, while Mr Helper Aaron is to serve as Auditor, respectively.
