Nigeria’s Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, has called for a mechanism that will ensure industrial peace and harmony amongst the various union bodies in the country’s health sector.
In a statement issued on Friday 15th November, 2024, by the Deputy Director, Information & PR of the Ministry, Alaba Balogun, the Honourable Minister of State noted that the importance of achieving and sustaining this is critical to the attainment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s agenda for improving health care services in Nigeria.
Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, while receiving members of the National Tertiary Health Institutions Standard Committe (NTHISC) on a courtesy visit, said the mechanism will put an end to industrial actions in a crucial sector as health.”It’s key priority to rebuilding public confidence in health workers and the government”, he said.
He also called on members of the NTHISC, to initiate strategies in this direction to diffuse tension amongst unions in the sector.Speaking on financial constraints affecting the activities of the committee, he admonished members on financial independence for its sustainability.
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The Federal Government, he added, will assist the committee on initiating a right path.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Philip O. Abiodun, said that a major challenge of the committee is funding and, an unequipped office accommodation; emphasizing.
He called for the Ministry’s intervention which he described as critical and essential in addressing these constraints to achieve its mandate.
The National Tertiary Health Institutions Standard Committee which comprise seasoned health professionals was inaugurated last year November.
It has a mandate to make relevant investigations and recommendations to the federal and state governments on tertiary health care services in the national interest; advise the federal government on the financial needs, both recurrent and capital of tertiary health services and, in particular investigate and study the financial needs for training, research and services.