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Tag: Isaac Adewole

  • FEC okays N6.01 trillion national health plan

    *FG to banish cholera for five years

    The Federal Executive Council ( FEC ) meeting on Wednesday approved a N6.01 trillion National Strategic Health Development Plan 2.

    The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole briefed State House correspondents at the end of FEC meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    According to him, the new plan covering 2018 to 2022 involves the 36 states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory.

    He said that development partners took part in the presentation and approval of the plan.

    Read Also: 2019: Plateau APC adopts indirect primaries

    “We are reengineering the health sector.” he stated

    The previous plan 1 ranging from 2010 to 2015, he said, was only able to achieve less than 2 of its 52 targets.

    He also disclosed that the government is working on a plan to banish cholera from Nigeria for 5 years.

  • DANGER SIGNAL!(1) HIV patients cry out on looming disaster

    • Boycott care centres over alleged introduction of strange fees

    • Claims of illegal fees a lie, say LUTH, NIMR

    • Death rate on the rise as 68,803 victims die in five years

    At the opening of a two-day North-West Zonal Dissemination of 2016 National Guidelines for HIV Prevention, Treatment and Care in Kaduna recently, the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, said the federal government was set to implement a guideline that would ensure that people living with HIV (PLWH) received free health services at all levels in both public and private health institutions. More than two years down the line, the promise is yet to come to fruition as some of the victims lamented that their health conditions have continued to deteriorate over their inability to pay the myriad of fees allegedly charged at their treatment centres. With about 68,803 victims comprising 4,141 children and 64,662 adults, officially confirmed to have died in the last five years, INNOCENT DURU examines the impending danger for the victims and the country if the government tarries in filling the gap created by dwindling foreign support on account of which treatment was previously offered free of charge.

    Mrs. Daudu sat crestfallen as she tearfully narrated how she was compelled to take to begging in order to stay alive. Daudu does not beg to feed or meet inordinate needs. She told The Nation that her decision to take to begging was informed by the need to raise money to pay the prerequisite charges demanded by her treatment centre before she can access her medications as a person living with the human immune-deficiency virus (HIV).

    In an emotion laden voice, she said: “I receive treatment here at the Nigeria Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Yaba, Lagos. To pick up drugs every month, I must pay N1,000. They call it service charge. If you want to see a doctor, you pay N2,000 for each visit. We visit two times a year. They call that consultancy fee. Each time we visit, we always go to the laboratory to do test for them to review how we are doing. We always pay N2,900 for that.

    “At times, I don’t have the money to pay and access the drugs because I am not working.  I lost my job because of the time I was spending coming to collect the drugs. Since then, I have been begging and saving some of the small money that comes my way in order to pay and get my drugs.

    “I must have at least N8,000 in my pocket each time I am coming to the clinic. This includes the fees and the transport fare.”

    Even though she makes some money from begging, Daudu said she sometimes does not have the resources to pay and access her drugs. The failure to maintain her treatment plan, according to her, often has a telling effect on her health.

    “The drugs boost our immune system and reduce the effect of the virus in our bodies. Each time I don’t have access to it, the virus gets stronger and my condition deteriorates.

    “Many of our colleagues have developed other health challenges like tuberculosis because they have not been following their treatment regime religiously because of financial challenges.

    “I want the government to help us look into these problems, because many of us are suffering.  They should make the treatment free for us as it applies in some other centres. Even if they want to collect money, it should not be that high. It would not be bad if we are asked to pay N500 for treatment.”

    Both federal and state governments have at various times identified the need for domestic funding for the treatment of persons living with HIV in the country.

    After the National Economic Council meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in January, Ebonyi State governor, David Umahi, on behalf of his governor colleagues, stressed the need for domestic funding for the management of HIV.

    The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, at the end of the PEPFAR 2016 COP meeting held in Johannesburg, South Africa, was reported to have given his commitment to getting the government to take substantial responsibility for HIV treatment programme by funding procurement of commodities for response.

    At the 2016 National Guidelines for HIV prevention programme, the minister, represented by his Special Adviser, Segilola Araoye, assured that “from this day hence, everyone who tests positive to HIV is automatically eligible for treatment, and this applies to everyone with equal emphasis, child, man and women, pregnant or not.

    “From today onward, we are duty bound to offer anti-retroviral drugs as prevention to all persons who are at high risk of contracting HIV infection.

    “From today forward, all persons on treatment are entitled to at least one viral load test per year.

    “From today hence, we will place greater emphasis on differentiated systems of care that are adjustable to the individual needs of the patient.”

    He noted that the recommendations in the 2016 guidelines, by current standard, were audacious, unambiguous and un-apologetically pro-patient.

    But some HIV patients told our correspondent that they were yet to distinguish between genuine concern and regular political rhetorics in the promises as none had been fulfilled.

    Another patient at the NIMR, Alice, also looked distraught as she spoke about her ordeal skipping her treatment plans because of financial challenges.

    She said: “I have had to skip my medication because of financial challenges. If one continues to skip the medication, the CD4 Count will start going down. If you take these drugs very well, you will have a suppressed viral load. When you don’t take them as you should, your viral load will go up and the CD4 Count will be going down. This can make one to develop resistance to the drugs and the drug will no longer work for the person. There are a lot of our colleagues that have got to that stage. They have dropped down to the second line which is more cumbersome to take.”

    Alice corroborated Daudu’s allegations about the fees charged at the centre, adding: “Here, there is what they call fast track. That is if you want to urgently see the doctor, you will pay the sum of N5,000. It is not really easy paying these fees. You may say that N1,000 is too small for drugs collected in a month, but it is not small at all because some of us have no means of livelihood.”

    Prior to this time, Alice said, they had the opportunity of working at the NIMR and earning some income which they used to pay their bills and access the drugs without stress. But that has long changed as she alleged that they have been relieved of the jobs.

    She said: “The jobs we were doing here as positive people have been taken from us by the management. When they relieved us of the jobs, they filled our positions with their own people and even increased their stipend.

    “Most of us don’t have anything doing and the challenges out there are enormous. Once you test positive, nobody wants to give you a job. Sometimes, the money to pay for transportation to come here is not even available. When you come here, you see people crying that they don’t have money to pay for their drugs and nobody cares.”

    Alarmed by reports of dwindling support from foreign donors, Alice said: “If they withdraw, it is not going to be pleasant at all, because like I said earlier, most of us are jobless and cannot afford to buy the drugs.

    “Some of our members who were working have lost their means of livelihood in the course of coming to take their drugs. The stigma out there is too much. Nobody has employed me since I graduated. If the donors truly withdraw, I am afraid that many people will die.”

    A male victim, Celestine, who also gets his drugs from NIMR, expressed fears about his future and those of his colleagues as he raised questions about the fees. He said: “The question I would want to ask is whether the government is aware that they are collecting money from us here. Is the money we are paying going into the coffers of the federal government?

    “Before now, we were paying through the banks. But now they are collecting cash. The treatment was free before, but payment was introduced later, and that was in late 2014. We don’t know whether government is aware that we are paying these fees so that we can be sure we are not paying this money into wrong hands.”

    The implication of paying to access the drugs, according to Celestine, is that “people are defaulting. I heard the other day that some members are failing to take their drugs. Why would people not fail to take their drugs when they are paying money to collect them? People are shy to make their status public. When you now ask them to pay all these fees, you further make them to withdraw and die in silence.”

    It was also a tale of woes when our correspondent met Bose, who claimed to be formerly receiving treatment at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH). According to her, “it was a hell getting attention from the workers. We pay N5,000 every six months. Many people are down with tuberculosis because they cannot pay and get their drugs. When we approached the workers at LUTH, one of them told us that the fee was for fuel to power their generator.

    “In some other centres, the treatment is free. I skipped my treatment because of this and had to move to another centre for treatment.  Many members are defaulting now because of this.”

    Contrary to what obtains in some of federal government owned treatment centres, the coordinator of the support group at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) told our correspondent that they don’t pay money to take drugs but often pay for prescribed tests.

    “If you are a new intake, you will pay N4,500. But if you are an old patient, you would pay N2,000 for kidney test and others. We don’t pay for folder and we don’t pay to see doctor,” he said.

    Insignificant as N2,000 may appear, the coordinator said some members of her group find it difficult to pay the sum for test. “When we confirm that some of them can’t pay, I help them to get exempted from paying. Once you are on tests, if you don’t do your viral load, they can give you one month drug.  The viral load is done free of charge.”

    The Programme Manager of Positive Action for Treatment Access (PATA), a non-governmental organisation based in Lagos, Francis Umoh, said: “Before now, everything was completely free, but some facilities have introduced user fees. Don’t forget that donors’ funds are dwindling. They have been supporting us for quite some time but gradually, funding is beginning to dwindle.

    “The fees charged by some of the centres vary and it starts from N1,000 and above. Some of these people can’t afford the fare to go to their treatment centres.

    “That is the concern we are having, and that is why we are calling on government to take ownership by appropriate funding so that many of the PLWH (People Living With HIV) can access treatment and stay alive.”

    Commenting on the implication of withdrawal of foreign donors, Umoh said: “If the drugs are not available in the right quantity, it means some people will not have access to them and consequently, they would discontinue their treatment. This may translate to going back to the period that people were dying.”

    The Coordinator of Network of People Living With HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Ibrahim Umoru, said: “South Africa has the highest disease burden in the world and contributes from local resources nearly 80 per cent to their response to HIV. Our response to HIV is abysmally shameful. It is less than 10 per cent, which is even questionable.

    “Our response is donor dependent and whenever these donors sneeze, we catch fever. PEPFAR alone caters for about 70 per cent. Global Funds contributes about 20 per cent or so.

    “Prior to this time, we were compelled to buy patented drugs, which were more expensive. As far back as 2001, I was buying one of the drugs for N21,000, and it was for a month. At that time, people were using dual combination. But now, people are using tipple combination.

    “Because of the input of generic drugs, the cost has come down to about $5 to $10 a month. We have the first line, the second and the third line. If the cost of first drug line is $5 to $10, the second line is about 20 times that amount. You dare not go near the price of the third line.

    Majority of people are on the first line drugs and Nigeria has over 3 million people living with HIV. Now, once you are HIV positive, you will start treatment immediately. This means there would be more people in need of the treatment, and right now, there is a gap of 1.5 million of people who need to be placed on treatment.

    The government should use its tongue to count its teeth.

    Menace worsens in spite of wide campaign

    Despite the massive campaign across the country about the existence and ravaging effects of HIV, official statistics of annual health sector report and estimates obtained by The Nation from NACA shows that the number of victims have been on the increase in the last five years. Cumulatively, the overall figure stood at 15,479,887 in the last five years.

    In 2013, 302,167 people were officially living with the menace. This increased to 302,358 in 2014. The figure is about 7,688 higher than the 2013 figure.

    The number of infected people rose to 3,037,364 in 2015 with a difference of 8,006 from that of 2014.

    The figure increased to 3,200,099, with a total of 162, 735 above that of 2015.

    The 2017 figure which was still under review as at the time the statistics was obtained, stood at 3,191, 396. It fell 8, 703 below that of 2016.

    Death rate rising annually

    Contrary to belief in many quarters that the challenge of HIV has been drastically curtailed, statistics show that the menace, rather than abating, is taking a turn for the worse in the country.  Statistics show that over 68,803 victims have died of complications resulting from HIV in the past five years (2013-2017).

    In 2013, the statistics showed that a total of 8,732 victims, 672 children and 8,060 adults died. The figure represents 12.69 of the population of victims that died of the challenge in the year.

    In 2014, a total of 10,949 victims made up of 695 children and 10, 254 adults were officially recorded to have died. The figure represents 15.91 of the total number of the dead in the year. The figure is 2,889 (3.22 per cent) higher than the death rate in the preceding year.

    In 2015, a total of 11,321 victims—875 children and 10,446 adults—died. The figure represents 16.45 per cent of the total death rate. The figure is 372, about .54 per cent higher than the 2014 death rate.

    16,897 deaths made up of 1,899 children and 14,998 adults were recorded in 2016, representing 24.55 per cent of the total death rate. The figure is 5, 576 (8.1 per cent) higher than that of 2015.

    The 2017 statistics showed that 20, 904 victims comprising mainly adults died (statistics for children were yet to be provided). This represents 30.38 per cent of the total death rate in the last five years and 4007(5.83 per cent) higher than 2016 figure.

    LUTH, NIMR react

    Contacted, the spokesman of NIMR, Eyerundu, refuted the allegation that the centre collects cash from patients. “The allegation that they are paying cash is false. Nobody pays cash here. My DG banned people from paying cash here. There is a bank in this institute. They brought bankers from outside where people make payments and collect receipt.

    “They made it possible for them to pay in the banks here because they were embarrassing and not attending to them as HIV patients in the banks out there.  Before, some of them would go to bank and for one week would not be able to pay. The service they are getting was commended by American government.  My DG is a disciplined and thorough man who would not allow such. Some patients like to cut corners and like to engage touts to do things for them.”

    Eyerundu clarified that the N1,000 being paid by patients is not meant for drugs, adding: “Patients come here and defecate everywhere. Where would you get money for disinfectants and other things for maintaining the centre?

    “Sometimes people don’t show appreciation. Instead of them thanking God for the service being rendered to them, they are claiming that money is being collected from them. Who is eating their money? When people have problems and they don’t get solutions, it is because they are ungrateful. In three months, they pay N1,000, and they claim they are killing them.”

    The Head of Department of Haematology and Transfusion Medicine, LUTH Professor Akanmu Alani Sulaimon, equally denied the allegation against the hospital.

    He said: “It is not true that patients pay fees to collect their drugs. If there are charges, that has to do with laboratory tests. Here, they don’t pay consultation fee to see doctors, to be attended to by nurses or pharmacists. The drug that they are taking is free. The most important monitoring test that we do to show that the anti-retroviral drug we are giving them is working well is free. But if they have to do kidney and blood count, they pay for that, and it is routine for any human being that visits the hospital.

    “To say that they are paying money for HIV related tests is not true and to say that they are paying money to access the drug is not true. If it happens in other hospitals, it does not happen in LUTH.”

  • Stop TB Partnership appoints Adewole board member

    The Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole has been appointed into the Board of Stop Tuberculosis Board Partnership, the United Nation High Level Decision body making on TB.

    The Board has the responsibility of building awareness at the highest level, identifying critical barriers in the TB space and facilitating consensus on strategy and policy –making.

    It also oversees the effective implementation of the stop TB partnership’s Operation Strategy and Global Plan to end TB 2016-2020.

    Adewole’s appointment is a reflection of his excellent leadership towards eliminating TB in Nigeria.

    A strong advocate of TB detection and treatment, the minister recently initiated strategy toward ending TB menace in Nigeria. At the recent concluded National Council on Health meeting in Kano, the Minister recommended Tuberculosis (TB) screening as pre- medical test to newly employed public servants in both Federal and State Governments level and newly admitted students into Secondary and Tertiary Institutions in the country.

    Read Also: Adewole and Buhari’s health status controversy

    “I wish to advocate that mandatory TB screening be offered to both those who seek health care with or without symptoms/signs compatible with TB and those who do not” Adewole said.

    Responding to the appointment, the Adewole said that “as I am honored to join the Stop TB Partnership’s Board, I will make sure the voice of high-burden countries and their people are heard and put all my energy in the efforts to stage a historical and game changing United Nation High Level Meeting on TB, as a turning point in the fight to end TB in Nigeria”

    The appointment of Nigerian Minister of Health was alongside with the Minister of Health Kazakhstan, Dr. Elzhan A. Birtanoy. The two Ministers are to represent countries affected by TB in the Stop TB Partnership’s Board.

    Meanwhile, the National Coordinator, National TB and Leprosy Control Programme in Nigeria, Dr. Adebola Lawanson has hailed the appointment, saying that it is a recognition of his hard work as well as support to TB control efforts / ending TB epidemics in Nigeria and globally.

  • “Nigeria requires $652m for next five years for contraceptives, others”

    ….Challenges governors to invest more in family planning

     

    Nigeria requires $652 million dollars over the next five years to invest in high-impact family planning interventions including the contraceptives, the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole has said.

    This, Adewole said would enable the country reach the set Contraceptive Prevalent Rate (CPR) 27% target set for 2020.

    He therefore challenged state governors on the need to invest more in family planning programme.

    The minister said more investment in family planning will help the country take advantage of the youthful population to achieve demographic dividend between 2030 and 2050.

    At the current annual growth rate of 3.2 percent, it is projected that Nigeria will be the 3rd most populous country in the world by 2020, with the population doubling by year 2030.

    The rapid population growth rate can be attributed mainly to the high Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 5.5 children per woman and low contraceptive prevalence rate of 15 percent based on the 2013 Demographic and Health Survey (2013 NDHS).

    He spoke at the inaugural Prof Babatunde Osotimehin Annual Memorial Lecture titled “Implication of the Population of 190 million on economic development and health/wellbeing of future generations of Nigerians” organized by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)

    The lecture is in memory of Professor Babatunde Osotimehin, a former Health Minister is regarded as an icon and legend. Osotimehin was the Executive Director of UNFPA until his demise.

    Read Also: JOHESU had no agreement with FG – Adewole

    In his keynote address, the minister said, “The Business Case estimates the costs, impacts and financing scenarios to achieve the modern contraceptive prevalence goals and impact on development. To reach the set CPR target by 2020, Nigeria requires US$652 million dollars over the next five years to invest in high-impact family planning interventions including the contraceptives.

    “This investment would have enormous benefits: estimated US$1.40 would be saved on maternal and newborn health care for every dollar invested in family planning and another US$ 4 would be saved on treating complications of unplanned pregnancies resulting in 30,000 maternal deaths and 5.19 million unplanned pregnancies averted and cost saving of US$1.02 billion.”

    Challenging the governors and other stakeholders’ the minister stressed, “I am calling on all stakeholders, from Federal and State governments, the private sector, traditional leaders, health-care workers, Community Based Organisations and Implementing Partners, to help make the changes that would translate into positive contribution to Nigeria’s economic development and even more importantly, significantly enhance the lives of millions of women and children

    “I will continue to advocate to States to implement youth friendly services and to ensure improved investments in our youths and reduction of unnecessary maternal deaths attributable to adolescent pregnancies and unsafe abortions. These are cardinal issues that Professor Babatunde Osotimehin stood for while on this planet. We can guarantee an enduring legacy of a brighter future for all our women. girls and young ones by staying focused and on track,” he said.

    He also added, that “Nigeria is at the threshold of reaping the demographic dividend following the expected decline in dependency ratio, or the number of children and elderly (under age 15 and over age 65) divided by the number of working age adults (between ages 15-64), over this period from 83 dependents per 100 workers in 2010 to only 50 dependents per 100 workers by 2050.

    “The median age of the total population is likewise anticipated to increase from 18.6 to 28.2 years over the 40-year period from 2010 to 2050 (United Nations 2008). Yet, despite observed declining fertility, Nigeria’s population is expected to continue to grow due to population momentum.

    “There is a demographic dividend in Nigeria’s future, starting from the mid-2020s until 2050 and beyond. It is important to note, however, that the dividend is not automatic but must be carefully planned and worked out. The timing of Nigeria’s demographic dividend varies by geopolitical zone and magnitude of the demographic dividend also varies by geopolitical zone.”

    The minister who also appreciated the UNFPA for starting the lecture series to immortalize the late Osotimehin said he had worked closely with the late icon and benefited from his kindness.

    Besides, the minister said he had followed in the footstep of the former minister of Health, who he described as “an unambiguously professed pro family planning advocate.”

  • Immunization: GAVI board approves $2.7b extension of transition from Nigeria

    …To save additional 1.554m under- one children by 2018

    The country’s request for extension of transition from the GAVI funds has been approved by the alliance board, Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has said.

    Prof. Adewole said GAVI board approved the funding envelope and the decision for extension of transitional period from 2021 to 2028.

    The investment is worth $2.7 billion, with GAVI committing $1.03 billion while, the Federal Government counterpart contribution is in excess of $1.9 billion.

    Making it the largest singular investment of any kind in the health sector since the history of the Primary Health Care System in Nigeria, thereby heralding a new path to improving the health of Nigerians.

    The fund will enable Nigeria provide vaccines for its children over the next ten years (2018-2028).

    GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance is the largest global coalition of the public and private sector with the shared goal of accelerating equal access to new and underutilized vaccines for children living in the world’s poorest countries.

    Nigeria and GAVI in 2001 entered into an agreement to strengthen immunization system across the country. During this period, GAVI supported the country with the introduction of life saving vaccines, which include PCV, IPV and Pentavalent vaccines, and provided additional support for non-vaccine operations worth $732,130,326 and as a result, saved over 2 million lives in the last 17 years.

    However, following the rebasing of the economy, Nigeria rose above GAVI eligible countries and the need to transit from GAVI support programme by 2021.

    This new approval, the minister said will help the country to save additional lives of 1,539,651 million under-1 children by 2028.

    Adewole who addressed the media yesterday in Abuja said the extension was as a result of the renewed commitment of the current administration and demonstrable leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari in enshrining accountability and transparency in all governments’ dealings especially with donor agencies.

    The minister who was excited to broke the news to journalists said, “It is with great pleasure that I inform you that on Wednesday, June 6 2018, the GAVI Board meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, approved Nigeria’s proposal for GAVI transition, the Nigeria Strategy for Routine Immunization and Primary Health Care Systems’ Strengthening (NSIPSS).

    “This investment, worth over $2.7 billion of which GAVI has committed $1.03 billionwhile the Federal Government counterpart contribution is in excess of $1.9 billion, will enable Nigeria provide vaccines for its children over the next ten years (2018-2028). Making it the largest singular investment of any kind in the health sector since the history of the Primary Health Care System in Nigeria and heralds a new path toimproving the health of Nigerians.

    “The GAVI board approval of the funding envelope and the decision for extension of transitional period from 2021 to 2028 was a direct testament of the renewed commitment of this current administration and demonstrable leadership of Mr. President in enshrining accountability and transparency in all governments’ dealings especially with donor agencies,” he said.

    Speaking on the gains of the extension, the minister said, “With this approval by GAVI, Nigeria stands to save the lives of additional 1,539,651 under-1 children by 2028 by driving immunization rates up to 85% in all states and improving the supply chain; while rebuilding financial credibility and trust, transforming the organization structure of Primary Health Care (PHC) in Nigeria, consolidating gains in polio eradication and revitalizing the Primary Health Care System.

    “This comes at an auspicious time to complement government’s efforts to revitalize the primary health care system through the provision of the minimum package of care using the basic health care provision fund, all geared towards strengthening the PHC system in Nigeria. The PHC system caters for over 70% of the population who are in most need of health. Ten thousand (10,000) PHC centres will benefit from this where each PHC is fully equipped to provide the basic minimum package of care.”

  • Buhari renews appointment of two medical directors

    President Muhammadu Buhari has renewed the appointments of Dr. Jafaru Alunua Momoh, and Dr. Nwadinigwe Cajetan Uwatoronye as Chief Medical Director of National Hospital, Abuja and Medical Director, National Orthopedic Hospital Enugu, Enugu State, for the second and final term.

    The appointments take effect from 5thJuly 2018 and 30th May, 2018, respectively.

    Read Also: Lawmakers threaten Buhari

    In a statement signed by Mrs. Boade Akinola, Director, Media and Public Relations, the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, in his congratulatory message urged them to justify the confidence reposed on them by improving on previous works.

    “I also hope that their reappointments would enable them work collaboratively with all stakeholders, ensuring harmony and continuous delivery of quality healthcare services to the populace” Adewole said.

  • FG moves to sack over 750,000 striking Health workers

    The Federal government has began moves to dismiss from service about 750,000 striking members of the Joint Health Sector Unions as it has directed Governing Boards of all government owned hospitals to invoke the provisions of Public Service Rule 030413 on the workers for failing to report to duty.

    The government has also directed the Governing Boards to restore services in their various hospitals with immediate effect, saying nobody has the right to shut down any government hospital.

    The Nation gathered that the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole gave the directive at an emergency meeting with Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of all government owned hospitals and their Governing boards.

    The public service rule 030413 reads: “Any officer who absents himself/herself from duty or travels out from Nigeria without leave renders himself/herself liable to be dismissed from service and the onus shall rest on him/her to show that the circumstances do not justify the position of the full penalty”.

    The public service rule consider the action referred to by the Minister as serious misconduct which can lead to dismissal from service if proven.

    Public service rule 030401 said “serious misconduct is a specific act of very serious wrong doing and improper behaviors which is inimical to the image of the public service and which can be investigated and if proven, ma6 lead to dismissal”.

    Sources told The Nation that the government may also be working toward proscribing the Joint Health Sector Unions made up of five allied professional unions which constitute about 98 percent of staff of the hospitals.

    The Health Minister was said to have told the Governing boards that anyone who fails to resume work should be be considered to have absconded from duty without leave which is a serious misconduct in line with the Public Service rule 030413.

    Read Also: Health workers strike: JOHESU accuses doctors of sabotage

    However, Mrs. Boade Akinola, Director, Media and Public Relations in the Ministry of Health, quote the minister as saying that Chief executive not willing to keep the services running should be suspended and be replaced with another officer in acting capacity.

    The statement said the Minister’s directive was given at an emergency meeting with the CMDs/MDs of tertiary hospitals, on Monday 28th May, 2018, where the impact of the ongoing strike on health services in government hospitals was reviewed.

    The Minister added that anyone who fails to resume would be considered to have absconded from duty without leave which is a serious misconduct in line with the Public Service rule 030413.

    He noted that Monitoring teams were dispatched to the Tertiary Hospitals to access the activities in various hospitals and reports were presented at the meeting and this revealed that some hospitals were doing well in providing care to the people while others have performed below expectation.

    The Minister commended the facilities that are offering full services using locum Staff and volunteers and directed immediate restoration of full services in all the other facilities. He singled out facilities in North East, North West and South- South zones for outstanding performance.

    He said that there was no reason why each hospital should not have one ward per speciality open for operation. He said one gynaecology ward, one obstetrics ward, one paediatric ward, one surgical ward and one medical ward, should be kept functioning immediately in facilities that are yet to do so.

    He said “the clinics must run, theatre must be opened, there is no reason why they should lock your theatre. No one has the right to lock up government hospitals” the Minister said.

    Adewole maintained that everyone who participated in the strike would not be paid for the period of the strike even if the strike is called off.

    “We want you to go back and restore services in your various institutions immediately”.

    The Minister urged Chairmen of the Boards to take charge of their facilities and that any  Chief executive not willing to keep the services running, should be suspended and be replaced with another officer in acting capacity.

    Speaking on the strike, Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige said he has been restraining the Ministry of Health from engaging advocates staff to fill the vacancies created by the strike, pointing out that he may not be able to restrain them for too long.

    Ngige said “they are on essential services and ILO has conditionalities for workers on essential services. They are not supposed to go on strike. ILO also has provision which states that if workers on essential services go on strike, the employer must be protected. They are allowed to deny them payment for the period they are away and employ advocates staff to fill the vacancies. I have pleaded and pleaded.

    “They know these laws because they are very vast. We have been begging. These people in JOHESU are Nigerians. If we terminate their appointment and ask new employees to come, you will see over one million applications to fill those vacancies because there are qualified Nigerians outside there.

    “But I have restrained the Health Ministry for sometime now. I don’t even know for how long I can restrain them. In doing my restrain, I am guided by the fact that I know that the doctors alone cannot handle the health services. I know that because I am a doctor.

    “I also know that the doctors are not conducting themselves in a very dignified way in this negotiation. who should they be putting their mouth and interloping? It is in the Labour laws that they should not interfere in what is happening to another union. This is the situation with JOHESU and the ongoing strike.”

  • JOHESU strike has not paralyzed public hospitals – MDCAN

    The Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) says the impression by members of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) that the nation’s public hospitals were completely paralyzed because of their strike action is false.

    A statement signed by the association’s National President, Prof. Ngim Ngim and its Secretary General, Dr Affiong Ibanga, made available to The Nation in Calabar on Friday, said it was propaganda and that medical doctors were still rendering medical services to the general public including the striking workers.

    The association alleged that members of the striking union had unsuccessfully attempted, to paralyze the health sector in order to force the government to give into their “undeserved and unjustifiable demands of pay parity with the medical doctors.”

    MDCAN, however, said it recognized the right of workers to negotiate terms of compensation with their employers to enhance their wages and salaries.

    Read Also: JOHESU Strike: NANS gives FG 10-day ultimatum to resolve issues

    “The Federal Government is strongly advised to take into consideration the internationally recognized practice of relativity in wages of professionals in the health sector. This is not peculiar to Nigeria. Relativity must be regarded by the government as sacrosanct in their negotiations with the striking health workers.

    “Consultants and indeed all medical doctors in the country will not accept any decision that further erodes the existing relativity in salaries and wages, for which there is an extant agreement.

    “Medical doctors had in the spirit of comradeship and carrying along other health workers accepted a much lower relativity ratio than what was previously obtainable in the country and worldwide,” they said.

    The association advised the Federal Government to implement the Yayale Ahmed committee report on resolution of inter-professional disharmony in the health sector with a view to put an to the crisis in the health sector.

    The association also frowned at the physical assault of doctors by members of JOHESU and locking up some parts of the hospitals and taking the keys away.

    The association appealed to members of JOHESU to suspend their strike with a view to ensure sustainable and uninterrupted health care delivery to the citizens.

    While commending medical doctors, consultants and others for rendering services during this period, the association expressed confidence in the ability of Prof. Isaac Adewole, Minister of Health, in resolving the crisis in the health sector.

  • Education Ministry endorses “Nestle for healthier kids manual” for schools

    The Federal Ministry of Education (FME) has endorsed the “Nestle for Healthier Kids Manual’’ targeted at inculcating a healthy life style in school children from an early age.

    The endorsement was made by the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, on Thursday at the launch of the “Nestle for healthier kids programme” in Abuja.

    The programme, expected to commence in schools in Ogun State and some in the FCT will carter for about 17,000 kids in its pilot stage.

    The minister, represented by Mrs Benedicta Okonkwo of the Dept of Basic and Secondary School, said the manual was endorsed considering the fact that it was only a well fed child that would excel in school.

    Adamu explained that children became stunted when they are malnourished, and as such could be backward in learning.

    The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, who was represented by Dr Chris Isokpunwu, Head of Nutrition, Federal Ministry of Health, said children would live a healthy life when they eat healthy.

    “The major problem in the country is unhealthy life style, which leads to obesity, hypertension and so on. People no longer live to old age.

    “Some of the deaths in the country now occur because people don’t take care of their diet and life style. It is time to go back to the olden days of good life style.

    “But it is necessary to start with children under five years, to inculcate a healthy style of living into them from an early beginning,” Adewole said.

    He said that the school feeding programme of the Federal Government was part of efforts to show the children the right kind of food to eat, even when at home.

    The minister urged Nigerians to reduce their intake of carbonated drinks and drink more of clean water.

    Mrs Victoria Uwadoka, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager, Nestle, said their global vision was to help over 50 million children have the right information, enjoy good nutrition and healthy life style.

    Uwadoka said: “This year we want to reach about 17,000 children with this nutrition education.

    “We are going to experiment this programme in Ogun State and in FCT, particularly in the Abaji Area Council.

    “And we will have a monitoring and evaluation team that will be able to give us a monthly, quarterly and annual report on the programme. This will help us to spread the programme to other states.”

    Mrs Gloria Nwabuike, Marketing and Public Affairs Manager of Nestle, said “Nestle for healthier kids programme” was launched globally on May 15, to mark the UN International Day of Families.

    Nwabuike said that it was being launched in Nigeria to increase the awareness of healthy living.

    “Part of what we do is to train the teachers to enable them impact this nutrition education in the children, so that when they grow, they will practice the same healthy living.

    “We also embarked on this school-based initiative having in mind that parents know that every day counts when preparing children for a successful future,” Nwabuike said.

    According to her, the company aims to build, share and apply nutrition knowledge as well as offer tastier food choices and inspire families to raise healthier kids.

    The event featured the unveiling of the Nestle for Healthier kids Manual and the signing of partnership certificate.

  • FG warns JOHESU against harassing doctors, others

    The Federal Government has warned members of the striking Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) against harassing doctors and other health workers.

    The ongoing JOHESU strike action which has entered its fourth week now has been compounded with the recent directive to state and local council to join the strike action.

    In a statement on Tuesday, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole also stated that the union does not have the right to lock up government health facilities.

    The statement which was signed by Mr. Olajide Oshundun, Assistant Director, Media and Publicity also directed heads of medical institutions to provide adequate security for working members.

    Read Also: JOHESU strike: NMA decries attacks on doctors, patients

    The statement reads: “In as much as members of JOHESU have the right to embark on strike, they do not have the constitutional right to harass other health workers including members of JOHESU who choosed to work and

    “JOHESU members DO NOT have right to lock-up government facilities.

    “The Federal government would not accept nor condone any act of irresponsibility and disobedience to constituted authorities, adding that all locked health facilities should be opened immediately to enable the facilities provide required services while negotiation continues.

    “The Honorable Minister further re-iterates that all Heads of medical institutions should as a matter of urgency provide adequate security for the working members of staff and any person found disturbing the peace in any health facility should be made to face the law.”

    Only recently, the President of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr. Ugochukwu Chinaka, had accused members of JOHESU of harassing and molesting members of NARD and other medical officers at their respective duty posts.

    JOHESU members were also accused of locking- up government health facilities to prevent access to those who are not on strike.