The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has advised universities on strict compliance with COVID-19 protocols to ensure safety of students and curtail the spread of the virus on campuses.

Prof. Baba Issa, the Kwara State Chairman of the association, made the call on Monday when he visited the Vice-Chancellor of University of Ilorin, Prof. Sulyman Abdulkareem, in his office.

According to him, the call has become necessary as universities in the country get ready for resumption of academic activities.

He said NMA was working hard to curtail the spread of the virus, and suggested that universities should strictly enforce social distancing, regular hand washing, use of hand sanitiser and face mask.

Issa counseled further that university staff should be rotated to limit the possibility of infection spread when academic activities fully resumed.

The chairman noted that being the highest employer of labour in the state, it was pertinent for the association to visit the university and strengthen relationship between them.

He expressed the association’s gratitude to the vice-chancellor for appointing medical doctors into various positions in the institution.

Issa further appealed for appointment of more medical personnel to complement the ones at the university clinic.

The NMA chairman also appealed for statutory allowances to be paid to doctors in the university and for medical students with resit exams to be allowed to resit for the examination.

Welcoming the chairman a d his team, Abdulkareem expressed his great respect for the medical profession.

“You are good at managing people. I have the belief that if you want things done right, get the doctors involved,” he said.

The vice-chancellor promised to look into all the requests made once they were formally presented to him in writing. (NAN)