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Doctors Strike: FG, NMA, NARD Reach Truce

Published

11 months ago

May 21, 2023

The Federal Government has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), geared towards halting the five-day nationwide warning strike of resident doctors.

The MoU was signed at the end of a conciliation meeting convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige in his office on Friday.

The meeting which lasted for about five hours addressed all the eight issues raised by the striking resident doctors.

They are the non-payment of salaries of doctors by state governments, domestication of the reviewed Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) for the year 2023, the bill at the National Assembly on the bonding of doctors for five years before licensing, the circular on immediate replacement of exited doctors, and immediate payment of the 2023 MRTF.

The others are arrears of Consequential Adjustment on Minimum Wage, Skipping Arrears and the review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS).

In the MoU released to journalists after the meeting, they agreed that health is on the Residual List and not the Concurrent List of the Constitution and hence, the Federal Government cannot compel the state governments to effect the payment of salaries and allowances in the health sector.

Consequently, NMA and NARD were advised to embrace more persuasion and social dialogue at the state level.

Regarding Abia State where doctors have been on strike for several months for perennial non-payment of salaries, the meeting noted that the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) has taken the matter to the National Council on Health (NCoH) in Abuja, which looked into the matter and asked the Abia State Government to pay up for good health delivery to the people.

They equally agreed that the states cannot be compelled to domesticate the MRTF and must not pay the same amount being paid by the Federal Government. They advised NARD to reach out to states that are not paying and negotiate with them, even if the rates are lower than that of the Federal Government MRTF.

On the bill of bonding of doctors for five years before licensing, sponsored by Hon. Ganiyu Johnson from Lagos State at the National Assembly, they agreed that the Executive Arm of Government cannot interfere with it, being a private member’s bill and not an executive bill.

The meeting therefore resolved to await the public hearing for the bill, where the doctors will deal with the bill through the NMA, to ensure it does not see the light of the day.

On the replacement of exited doctors, the meeting noted that the recommendations of the Federal Ministry of Health Brain Drain Committee have been forwarded to the office of Head of Service of the Federation (OSGF) for further action.

The OSGF was directed to engage all stakeholders by Wednesday, May 24, 2023 on the matter to ensure the approval of the implementation plan on or before June 5, 2023, for transmission to teaching hospitals and federal medical centres for implementation.

They agreed that the fund for the payment of the 2023 MRTF has been captured in the 2023 Appropriation and payment would commence when the operation of the 2023 Budget begins. It was noted that the budget office had requested for a comprehensive list of all resident doctors in the federal tertiary health institutions from the Federal Ministry of Health and same has been forwarded appropriately through the Ministry of Health by the Post Graduate Medical College of Nigeria for payment to commence as soon as funds are cash backed by the office of Accountant General of the Federation.

On the issue of doctors omitted in the payment of Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustment, the meeting resolved that NARD should re-present the list on Monday, May 22, 2023 to the FMoH, with annexes of the old submission and same copied the office of Minister of Labour and Employment.

Following information that the matter of skipping arrears is pending in court, the Minister of Labour asked the Minister of Health to produce evidence to him for noting and necessary action.

With respect to CONMESS, the meeting resolved that the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), should adopt the percentage used for the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other university unions, which would include rise in allowances, while relativity of the increase would be maintained when other consolidated scales are considered.

It was agreed that the proposal would be presented to the Presidential Committee on Salaries (PCS) in their next valedictory meeting for final action, to enable NSIWC issue the relevant circular seven days after the PCS meeting.

The NSIWC earlier informed the meeting that it was yet to receive any agreement between the FMoH and NMA on CONMESS. The commission said it wrote a letter to the FMoH, asking for the details of the agreement.

The meeting directed the Permanent Secretary of FMoH to provide a response to the letter on or before May 23, 2023. The Minister of Labour corroborated that he received a report of the meeting from the FMoH.

In conclusion, the meeting agreed that NARD officers are to present the outcome of the MOU to their members in an emergency meeting within 48 hours with a view to suspending the strike they embarked on last Wednesday, May 17, 2023.

Signatories to the MoU on the government side are Dr (Mrs) C.M. Yaya Kolade (NSIWC), Dr. Salma Ibrahim-Anas, the Director of Hospital Services, FMoH, Mahmuda Mamman, Permanent Secretary of FMoH and Okokon E. Udo, the Permanent Secretary, Service Policies and Strategies Office (SPSO), OSGF. The President of NMA, Dr. Uche Ojinmah and his counterpart of NARD, Dr. Emeka Orji signed on behalf of the doctors.
VANGUARD

News

Why Yahaya Bello Was Absent In Court — Lawyer

Published

5 hours ago

April 23, 2024

Editor

Act through the National Assembly. He added that section 12 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, required the various Houses of Assembly to ratify the act before it could become operative.

Counsel to the EFCC, Kemi Phinheiro, however, urged the court to dismiss the application, insisting that the warrant of arrest should not be set aside until the defendant makes himself available for trial.

He argued that Bello did not have the legal ground to file numerous applications while in hiding.

The senior lawyer added that the applications he was filing, were tactics intended to delay his arraignment, as the main issue was to determine his whereabouts.

He adds that if Bello wanted the order of his arrest to be discharged, he should come before the court and make the application.

Justice Nwite then ordered that the charge sheet of the N84bn fraud allegation against Bello be served on his lawyer.

The EFCC added that it would not execute the arrest warrant until the counsel to Bello undertakes to ensure his presence at the next adjourned date.

Justice Nwite had last week issued a bench warrant against Bello following an application to that effect by EFCC.

The EFCC subsequently declared the former governor wanted for his persistent absence in court, and for evading the criminal charges against him.

News

Nollywood Actress, Kate Henshaw Calls For Establishment Of More PHCs In Bauchi

Published

6 hours ago

April 23, 2024

Editor

Nigerian Nollywood actress, Kate Henshaw has called for the establishment of more Primary Healthcare Centres in Bauchi state to enhance immunization exercise in the state.

The UNICEF ambassador made the call in Bauchi on Wednesday while briefing newsmen on her field trip with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Bauchi Field Office to observe immunization exercises in Bauchi state.

Kate Henshaw, who was very impressed with the turnout of women for the vaccine in the state, commended UNICEF and the Bauchi state government for their commitment to fight malnutrition and improve the health status of mothers and children in the state.

The 2008 Africa Movie Academy Award winner said “there is the need for the establishment of more Primary Healthcare Centres because I could guess that maybe the distance that the women have to travel in order to get care or to take their children could be a barrier.

“Also, I observed that the mode of transportation is motorcycles and I wouldn’t feel too comfortable carrying my baby on a bike going all the way.

“So, there has to be a better incentive which is bringing the care to them closer. Even if you will have to bring skilled workers to them at home but also make sure that they come to the hospital to deliver

“Bring it closer to them so that they don’t have an excuse not to bring their child either for nutritional stuff or immunization.

“More of the community health centres and primary healthcare centres closer to the people is important”.

Also, Dr Rane Tushar, UNICEF Chief of Field Office, Bauchi commended the medical practitioners in the state for amplifying its intervention and sought for more collaboration.

He urged them to keep sensitizing mothers through their reportage, the importance of immunization both the routine and the periodical on their children.

News

World Earth Day: Environmentalist Advocates End to Plastic Wastes to Save Mother Earth

Published

6 hours ago

April 23, 2024

Editor

In commemoration of the 2024 World Earth Day, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) – Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), has called for a drastic reduction in the use of plastics to save planet Earth from suffocation.

World Earth Day is an annual event celebrated April 22, and it is designed to shed light on serious environmental problems faced from the climate crisis to air pollution and deforestation. This year’s World Earth Day was themed: ‘Planet Vs Plastic.’

In commemoration of the Day, Dr Nnimmo Bassey, Executive Director, HOMEF, in a statement made available to INFO DAILY by Kome Odhomor, Media/Communication Lead, HOMEF, advocated for urgent action to ban the production and
usage of single-use plastics.

Bassey, while calling on everyone to be involved in efforts to kick out plastics, urged humans to build a liveable future for humans, other beings, and natural systems.

He said: “World Earth Day reminds us as humans that the Earth is ours to protect and preserve but over time humans have abandoned their roles in protecting the planet because of selfishness and drive for profit.

“We stand united in our fight against non-biodegradable waste pollution. Our addiction to single-use plastics suffocates the planet.

“Plastics can take hundreds of years to decompose, clog our water bodies, and cause harmful impacts as a result of their chemical composition. Sadly, the
world is literally a plastic civilisation due to a vested interest in hydrocarbons and ease of application.”

He continued: “Now is a critical time to choose between planet and plastic. Good sense tells us to choose the planet, our Mother Earth that sustains all lives. A poor sense driven by profit urges humans to choose plastics because of the ease they bring, despite the harmful impacts on our health, climate, and overall health of the planet.

“As we mark World Earth Day 2024, the alarm must be sounded that it is time to uproot plastics from their fossil base or be ready to be turned
into plastic humans living plastic lives and heading to an infernal
plastic future. At HOMEF, we are all for the planet, people, and all
life forms,” Bassey said.

The Executive Director noted that research has shown that 380 million tonnes of plastic are now produced every year, while only nine percent of plastic ever produced has been recycled.

He added: “Campaigns around the world calling for a 60 percent reduction in plastic by 2040 are commendable and worthy of support.

“At Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), we believe in the intrinsic Rights of Mother Earth and the rights of humans and other
beings to be respected and to live in dignity.

“It is time to build up courage and to preserve and protect our health,
and our livelihoods by embracing alternatives that are sustainable,
healthy, and safe for the planet. We must stop all forms of destructive
extractive activities in Nigeria, Africa, and the World.

“The Planet vs Plastics campaign is a call to arms, a demand that we act now to end the scourge of plastics and safeguard the health of every living being on our planet.

“We are submerged in a sea of plastic wastes, from our creeks to the ocean. It’s time we did better!”