The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Minister of Health

  • FG rescinds decision to sack striking Doctors 

    FG rescinds decision to sack striking Doctors 

    The Federal government has agreed to disregard the circular terminating the appointments of striking resident doctors.

    The Minister of Health, Prof Folorunsho Adewole made the disclosure Wednesday at a mediatory meeting initiated by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara on Tuesday night.

    Resolutions were reached at the mediatory meeting attended by Federal Government delegation and leaders of Resident Doctors.

    The meeting had in attendance Minister of Health Prof Isaac Adebowale, Minister of Labour represented by the Permanent Secretary, Salaries and Wages Commission, Chairman of Committee of Chief Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Health Institutions,  Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Association of Consultants and Leaders of Resident Doctors Association.

    The meeting lasted for five hours resolved and that:

    “Ministry of Health to come up with list of those entitle to skipping and the amount and when they will pay them in one week. Forty two (42) institutions that have not been implementing skipping should be asked to commence implementation immediately.

    “Committee of CMDs to meet in one week and implement skipping by June and any CMD that is unable to pay should appear at the next meeting on July 14. The judgment of the Industrial Court must be executed.

    “That by First week of July guidelines on Residency Training will be made available.

    “Entry point for House Officers should be from Commess 9 step 4. Or 1 step 1. It should be implemented immediately by the Chief Medical Directors.

    “They should also start implementing pensions immediately

    “Those unfairly sacked. Resident Doctors Association to make available records of all those sacked unfairly to the ministry of Health. Minister of Health should issue circular to CMDs to review the issue of those sacked unfairly without recourse to the earlier circular detailing the template to be followed. Circular to be sent out on Wednesday June 22nd 2016 by the Minister to all health institutions and Federal Medical Centres running the Residency programme.

    “FMC Owerri’s case. Issue of FMC Owerri be revisited. Meeting appealed to Minister to take a second look at it since doctors did not declare strike abinitio

    “IPPIS will be implemented immediately

    “Doctors should be migrated to the platform with immediate effect. Speaker to meet with Minister of Finance on the issue of IPPIS for all doctors.

    “Speaker should appeal to state Governors to pay Resident Doctors.

    “Minister of Health said: “We will do everything humanly possible to implement all the decisions arrived at in this meeting including the fact the circular sacking Resident doctors be ignored by all the parties concerned.”

    “Resident doctors leaders at the meeting agreed to appeal to their members to suspend the strike until the next meeting of July 14, 2016.”

    Meeting to reconvene in three weeks and review progress made on implementation of agreements reached in the meeting on July 14 2016.

  • FG orders for full investigation of global fund grants 

    FG orders for full investigation of global fund grants 

    Federal Government of Nigeria has directed the Anti-Corruption Agency, Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to commence full investigation of the allege misappropriation of Global Fund Grants Nigeria received from 2010 – 2014.

    In a statement signed by Mrs. Boade Akinola, Director Media & Public Relations, ministry of Health, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has set-up two high-powered investigative panels to look in to the affected programmes and the financial transactions.

    Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, and the Auditor General of the Federation – Mr Samuel Ukura  chair the two panels.

    Quoting the minister of Health, the statement stated, “President Muhammadu Buhari gave the directive as part of government’s effort and commitment to fight corruption in the country. The President has also directed the Secretary to the Government of Federation to review earlier audit reports from the Office of Inspector General (OIG)”.

    The first panel headed by Adewole will conduct in-depth review of all programmes,  while the Ukura panel was expected to review all financial transactions during the period. The two committees were expected to submit their reports within 4 weeks.

    “Mr President assured members of the international community that all funds received by Nigeria would be well utilised and accounted for under his watch to avoid national embarrassment”, he said.

    He further said that all indicted officials would be given fair hearing and those found guilty would be sanctioned to serve as deterrent to others.

    The recent OIG report by Global Fund indicted three agencies of Federal Government of Nigeria for misappropriation of specific intervention grants released.

     

  • FG vows to shelve doctors’ strike

    FG vows to shelve doctors’ strike

    The Federal Government on Thursday said that everything will be done to prevent the impending strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD).

     

    The NARD had on Monday given the Federal Government a 21-day notice to meet their demands or face an indefinite strike.

     

    Their demands include payment of members’ salaries till date and appropriate placement of members in states and federal tertiary hospitals across the nation, reversal of sacked members in some hospitals and appropriate funding of residency training programme.‎

     

    NARD’s President Dr. Muhammad Askira, had told newsmen in Abuja, that the ultimatum took effect from April 4.

     

    But speaking at the commemoration of the 2016 World Health Day and the flag off of diabetics screening exercise organized by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, gave assurance that there will be no strike.

     

    The focus of 2016 World Health Day campaign is on Diabetes with the theme “Beat Diabetes”.

     

    Adewole said: “I am assuring Nigerians that there will be no strike. We have received the ultimatum, we have talked and will be meeting again on Monday.”

     

    He said that with Nigeria’s sustained efforts and support from development partners, the spread of the wild polio-virus was halted and Nigeria was dropped off the infamous list of countries where the virus is still endemic.

     

    The Minister also commended Nigeria’s capabilities of meeting the health needs of a greater proportion of her population and her ability to withstand challenges of epidemic like HIV, infectious disease outbreaks as demonstrated by her response to recent Ebola virus epidemic.

     

    Quoting Wealth Health Organization recent ‎report, he said that 24 per cent of illness related deaths in the country is caused by Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), with diabetes accounting for two per cent of that figure.

     

    He said: “Diabetes is increasingly becoming an epidemic especially among adolescents and young adults, partly due to the rapid socio-cultural change being experienced, and the adoption of unhealthy lifestyles and risky behaviours”.

     

    His ministry, he said, has mapped out six critical action areas to tackle the disease.

     

    He said that the action areas included adoption of the global monitoring framework for NCDs, development of a National Diabetes Plan and Policy, ‎increased monitoring and surveillance systems, engagement and rights, improved access to care and sustainable financing for management of diabetes.

     

    The Minister also urged Nigerians to be actively involved in the campaign, stressing that people must learn to identify their risk factors and take steps to avoid them.

     

    He said that some of the steps included maintaining a healthy weight, eating healthy, being physically active, avoiding harmful habit like alcohol intake and tobacco use.

     

    He urged those already diagnosed with diabetes to follow up on doctor’s advice as well as be consistent with doctor’s appointment.

     

    The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, warned that except Nigerians follow experts’ advice and adopt healthy lifestyle, the current adult population with the diabetes disease will increase.

     

    According to him, ‎diabetes is a disease that could be managed medically if detected early.

     

    He said that it can also be avoided if Nigerians take adequate interest in what they eat.

  • FG seeks partnership for improved healthcare delivery

    FG seeks partnership for improved healthcare delivery

    The Federal Government on Tuesday sought partnership with stakeholders to boost the country’s healthcare delivery system.

    The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, made the call when he received national officers of Health and Managed Care Association of Nigeria (HMCAN) in Abuja.

    Adewole stressed the need for an effective synergy among all stakeholders in the health sector to provide efficient and quality health service to citizens.

    He charged the association to marshal an efficient way of monitoring the quality of services being provided by various health and medical facilities in the country.

    On the part of government, the minister said the “inverted health pyramid system’’ would be reversed and restore the pyramid system for the benefit of larger population.

    Adewole regretted that only about 15 per cent of Nigerians currently access healthcare under the inverted pyramid system, hence the need to take healthcare services to the door steps of rural communities.

    According to him, government will make sure that primary healthcare is made accessible to majority of Nigerians under the planned reversal policy.

    To achieve this, the minister emphasised that the APC-led administration under President Muhammadu Buahri would establish 10,000 additional primary healthcare centres to cover all the electoral wards in the country.

    He explained that secondary (general hospitals) and tertiary (teaching hospitals) would only serve as referral centres and stop being over burdened with treating primary ailments.

    The Chairman of HMCAN, Dr Kolawole Owoka, had earlier pledged to support federal government quest to deliver improved healthcare services to citizens.

    “It is time government gets closure to the people using quality healthcare services,’’ Owoka said.

    He noted that Nigerians were ready to pay for quality health services if they can access them at affordable rates.

    The chairman expressed optimism that the government plan of providing affordable and accessible healthcare service was achievable within two years.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that HMCAN comprised members of the various health care managers working with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to provide affordable and accessible healthcare services in the country.

     

  • FG orders MLSCN boss to vacate office

    FG orders MLSCN boss to vacate office

    The Federal Government has ordered the Registrar/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN), Prof Anthony Emeribe to vacate office “with immediate effect’’.

    The directive was contained in a letter to Emeribe by the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, dated Feb. 19, 2016.

    The letter signed on behalf of the Minister by Dr Patience Oshinubi, the Head, Department of Hospital Services in the Ministry stated that Emeribe should hand over to the most senior Director in the council.

    It also stated that the position of the Registrar and CEO of the Council should be advertised.

    “The Honourable Minister of Health has approved the advertisement of the post of the Registrar/CEO of the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria.

    “In view of the above, I am directed to inform you to hand over the administration of the council and of government property under your purview to the most senior Director in the council, with immediate effect.

    “Please, accept the assurances of the Honourable Minister of Health’s best regards,’’ the letter read.

    Meanwhile, Emeribe has acknowledged the receipt of the letter in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    The professor, whose second term of four years as Registrar/CEO of the council ought to end in 2018, however, said that the letter was “sub judice’’.

    He said there were subsisting cases in court in respect of the advertisement of the position of the Registrar/CEO of the Council, awaiting judicial determination.

    “The cases are in court. The issues that gave rise to that letter are all in court and the ministry knows that it is sub judice.

    “The Ministry was misadvised into taken that decision because the ministry should know that you cannot take an action on a case that is in court,’’ he said.

  • FG to unveil National Health Agenda – Minister

    FG to unveil National Health Agenda – Minister

    The Federal Government says it has concluded plans to unveil the National Health Agenda and commission the National Health Gazette to boost the healthcare needs of Nigerians.

    Prof. Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Health, disclosed this while fielding questions from the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Adewole also reiterated government commitment on the implementation of the National Health Act.

    The minister said these instruments had outlined and fashioned the new focus in the ministry and government resolve to stop medical tourism.

    He said the ministry would now focus on maximising optimal use of available resources, the provision of specialised care for our people and changing the direction and destination of medical tourism.

    “I believe by the end of our first year, we should be able to reduce medical tourism such that in five years’ time, less than 20 per cent of Nigerians will go abroad for treatment.

    “We will make our teaching hospitals work and do Public Private Partnerships (PPP).

    “The PPP will focus on derivable benefits of promoting inter and intra professional harmony.

    “We (FG) will give Primary Health Care preference as a strategic platform for achieving Universal Health Coverage,’’ he said.

    According to him, if the government put its monies in the primary healthcare system, 60 to 70 per cent of the health needs of Nigerians will be taken care of.

    He noted that Nigeria cannot achieve Universal Health Coverage without ability to proffer accurate diagnosis.

    “Strong laboratory support is quiet crucial, our capacity will go beyond making diagnosis with respect to diseases.

    “We will boost the capacity of our health workers to enable them render accurate diagnosis of diseases and sustain the training and retraining of staff.

    “We have the mandate to provide leadership in the health sector, when we fully unveil these instruments, it will be obvious to Nigerians that this administration cares,’’ said the minister.

    Adewole assured that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari would soon roll out the Universal Health Coverage, but declined to disclose the date for strategic reasons.

    He said when the Universal Health Coverage was rolled out many things that scare Nigerians in public health would fizzle out.

    “We (government) will have primary health care for wards and part of the human
    resources component of primary health care we are building is to have village and community health workers.

    “The village and community health workers would visit homes and liaise with head of households and mount massive public education.

    “What we need to stay healthy is the massive health education,’’ the minister explained.

     

  • Lassa fever claims 63, spread to 17 states – Minister

    Lassa fever claims 63, spread to 17 states – Minister

    The Federal Government said on Tuesday that Lassa fever has claimed 63 lives out of 212 suspected reported from 62 local government areas in affected states.

    The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, confirmed this at the emergency National Council of Health meeting in Abuja on the outbreak of the disease.

    Adewole listed the 17 affected states as Bauchi, Niger, Taraba, Kano, Rivers, Oyo, Ondo, Edo, Plateau, Gombe, Nasarawa, Lagos, Delta, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Zamfara and Kogi as well as the FCT.

    He said there is high level of denial and conspiracy across some states, adding that health managers should not deceive executives by the pretence and silence.

    The minister described the denial of Ebonyi to report five suspected cases and one death as conspiracy of denial.

    He said every state should consider itself at risk and put measures to contain and prevent the disease.

    Adewole said the federal government would maintain high level of alert all year round to celebrate Lassa fever obituary next year.

    “With the resources available we will collectively eliminate the disease in Nigeria soon.

    “We have special facilities around us and we have adequate human resource to address the challenge.

    “We will strengthen the Primary Health Care Centres across the country to enhance the surveillance mechanism,’’ he said.

    The minister said 5,000 Primary Health Care centres would be activated before the end of 2016.

    “A committee had already been set up to map out health care centres across the country would benefit from the programme.

    “At least one primary health care centre will be functional in a ward,’’ said Adewole.

    In a related development, the minister announced that six most affected states will have Lassa fever diagnostic centres.

    He said the states are Niger, Nasarawa, Taraba, Plateau, Bauchi and Ondo states; this is in addition to the six existing Lassa fever treatment centres.

    According to him, the centres are Lassa fever Treatment Centre, Irrua, Edo; University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri, Borno; Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano.

    Others are Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), University College Hospital Ibadan, and the National Centre for Disease Control, Asokoro, Abuja.

  • Full list of Buhari’s ministers and portfolio

    Full list of Buhari’s ministers and portfolio

    President Muhammadu Buhari announces self as Minister of Petroleum, while other Ministers and portfolio is as follows:

    1. Lai Mohammed – (Kwara) Minister of Information and Communication
    2. Chris Ngige – (Anambra) Minister of Labour & Employmen
    3. Babatunde Fashola – (Lagos) Minister of Power, Works and Housing
    4. Abdulrahman Dambazau – (Kano) Minister of Interior
    5. Kayode Fayemi- (Ekiti) Minister of Solid Minerals
    6. Rotimi Amaechi – (Rivers) Minister of Transportation
    7. Aisha Alhassan – (Taraba) Minister of Women Affairs
    8. Ogbonaya Onu – (Ebonyi) Minister of Science and Technology
    9. Kemi Adeosun – (Ogun) Minister of Finance
    10. Abubakar Malami – (Kebbi) Minister of Justice & Attorney-General
    11. Sen Hadi Sirika – (Katsina) Minister of State, Aviation
    12. Suleiman Adamu – (Jigawa) Minister of Water Resources
    13. Solomon Dalong – (Plateau) Minister for Youth and Sports
    14. Barr. Adebayo Shittu – (Oyo) Minister of Communication
    15. Ibe Kachikwu – (Delta) Minister of State, Petroleum
    16. Osagie Ehanire – (Edo) Minister of State, Health
    17. Audu Ogbeh – (Benue) Minister of Agriculture
    18. Udo Udo Udoma – (Akwa Ibom) Minister of Budget & National Planning
    19. Amina Mohammed – (Gombe) Minister of Environment
    20. Ibrahim Usman Jibril – (Nasarawa) Minister of State, Environment
    21. Hajia Khadija Bukar Ibrahim- (Yobe) Minister of State, Foreign Affairs
    22. Cladius Omoleye Daramola (Ondo) Minister of State, Niger Delta
    23. Prof Anthony Onwuka (Imo) Minister of State, Education
    24. Geoffrey Onyema (Enugu) Minister of Foreign Affairs
    25. Dan Ali (Zamfara) Minister of Defence
    26. Barr James Ocholi (Kogi) Minister of State, Labour & Employment
    27. Zainab Ahmed (Kaduna) Minister of State Budget and National Planning
    28. Okechukwu Enelamah (Abia) Minister of Trade, Investment & Industry
    29. Muhammadu Bello (Adamawa) Minister of Federal Capital Territory
    30. Pastor Usani Uguru (Cross River) Minister of Niger Delta
    31. Mustapha Baba Shehuri (Bornu) Minister of State, Power
    32. Aisha Abubakar (Sokoto) Minister of State, Trade & Investment
    33. Heineken Lokpobiri (Bayelsa) Minister of State, Agriculture
    34. Adamu Adamu (Bauchi) Minister of Education
    35. Isaac Adewole (Osun) Minister of Health
    36. Abubakar Bawa Bwari (Niger) Minister of State, Solid Minerals