NMA to enforce mandatory use of doctor’s stamp in Kogi

The Kogi State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) is to commence the enforcement of the use of the doctor’s stamp to check the activities of fake medical practitioners.

A doctor’s stamp bears the NMA logo and contains the name of the practitioner, licence number, year of graduation, and other security features that can only be seen through ultraviolet light.

This is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and signed by its chairman, Dr. Baoku Olusola, and Secretary, Dr. Emmanuel Bola Jonah.

To this end, the association has launched a campaign tagged “No Stamp! Know Quack!” in a bid to nip quackery in the medical profession in the bud.

The association said anybody found guilty will be made to face the full wrath of the law, saying enforcement will start on December 1, 2023.

“Kogi held her AGM on the 26th of August 2023, where the congress observed poor to non-compliance of the use of doctor’s stamp by all doctors in Kogi State, which has led to the proliferation of fake medical and medicolegal documents in Kogi State and the thriving of businesses for quacks.

“Meetings should also be held with all these stakeholders, and, thereafter, the “Doctors Stamp Enforcement Task Force,” comprising all members of the above-stated stakeholders, be inaugurated.”

The communiqué further states: “Enforcement shall begin from December 1, 2023, from when any doctor who signs any medical or medicolegal documents without his or her stamp shall be treated as a quack, and any documents signed without the doctor’s seal shall be null, void, and rejected in Kogi State.

“The NMA SOC swung into action immediately, met all the stakeholders, and is currently collating the names of representatives of the institutions for the task force inauguration.”