PROTOCOL:

I consider it a great, rare and lifetime honor to at this defining moment of time stand in this arena to address this noble and distinguished assemblage of great citizens of our beloved nation, Nigeria. As I wallow in the nostalgia and joy of this reality, I wish to unveil and convey the abundance of joy that has filled the heart of every doctor on the Plateau, reminiscent of a fountain of love, flowing freely from our hearts to all of you, our eminent dignitaries and highly esteemed delegates. We are quite overwhelmed with enormous pleasure seeing this summit of highly revered Medical Doctors on the Plateau, knowing that you traveled from far and nigh, across the length and breadth of this country to be here: from Rivers to Sokoto, Lagos to Borno, Adamawa to Niger, and from the entire dimensions of the nation. You all travelled via various means all in a bid to grace this auspicious and worthwhile occasion in the beautiful tin-city of Jos.

In 2020 when all was set for the hosting of this event on the Plateau, there came the Corona virus pandemic (COVID-19)which impacted negatively on the landscape: ravaging communities, affecting livelihood, crippling economies,overwhelming health systems and necessitating our postponement of the hosting of this event on the Plateau, until now. To the glory of God, we are here on the Plateau today, celebrating this great event in one of the most serene and convenient atmospheres on the globe. Special thanks to the Prof. I. A. O. Ujah, mni led National Officers Committee of the Nigerian Medical Association, the National Executive Council and the entire Medical Doctors in Nigeria, for re-awarding of the hosting right to us on the Plateau. Our gratitude knows no bound.

Today, we bask in the soothing euphoria of surviving the scourge of the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic that has claimed so many lives. We celebrate the resilience of the Nigerian spirit and give a glamorous thumbs-up to all Doctors and other frontline health care workers across the country who made priceless sacrifices, including our fallen heroes that lost their lives in battle, haven paid the ultimate price. This is a testament to the fact that although we work under suboptimal conditions, our patriotism as evident by our persistence in giving our best in the course of delivering health care services to the teeming populace of Nigeria is unparalleled.Our hearts are filled with grief and outpouring of condolences to the families of our colleagues and all those who have lost any loved ones to the disease. May all our fallen heroes and other loved ones rest in perfect peace with God.

The theme of this conference is “Nigeria and the Global health Agenda 2030”. This topic was carefully selected to brace us up with where we were, where we stand and to speed us up to where we should be in our struggle to ensure a healthy Nigerian society, despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The subthemes are also apt and timely, as they represent the current realities of our world in relation to our environment and the well being of patients and doctors. The speakers of the theme and subthemes are men of proven worth that are making exploits in their various fields of specialization. The will spur us up to greatness.

Finally, on behalf of all Doctors on the Plateau, I welcome you to Jos, the capital city of Plateau, the beautiful State; the home of peace and tourism and the home of scenic beauty. We present to you a pleasing weather like no other; hospitality at its best; and a place you can call home away from home. You are warmly welcome. Feel free to enjoy all proceedings because you are in a land where hospitality is the rule and your comfort is paramount. I call upon each and every one of us to get focused and relaxed as we engage the gears, unveiling the package of TIN-CITY 2021 to the glory of God and to the benefit of mankind.

Long Live the Nigerian Medical Association!
Long Live Plateau State!!
Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!!

Dr. Innocent Emmanuel,
MBBS, MPA, FMCPath, FWACP
Chairman, Conference Organizing Committee, TIN-CITY 2021
Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association, Plateau State

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2021 NMA 61st AGC/DM: Address by NMA Chairman Plateau State, Dr. Innocent Emmanuel