Health
COVID-19 FG Approves Additional N8.9bn for Striking Doctors
The Federal Government has approved additional N8.9 billion to pay up the large chunk of the June 2020 COVID-19 allowance to all Medical Health Workers in the country.
Sen Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment disclosed this during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the end of the meeting between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Wenesday in Abuja.
It would be recalled that NARD had embarked on a total and an indefinite strike in all Federal and State hospitals in the country to press for its demands.
NARD demands include payment of the Medical Residency Training funding to all members as approved in the revised 2020 Budget, provision of genuine Group Life Insurance and Death in Service Benefits for all health workers.
Others are payment of outstanding April/May and June COVID-19 inducement allowance, determination of revised hazard allowance for all health workers as agreed in previous meetings with relevant stakeholders, immediate payment of salary shortfall of 2014, 2015 and 2016, among others.
Ngige said that implementation of the payment of the Special Hazard and Inducement Allowance has been concluded.
According him, the meeting was satisfied that the N20 billion already appropriated in 2020 COVID-19 budget has been exhausted.
He said the meeting, therefore, commended the Federal Government and Mr President for approving additional N8.9bn to pay up the large chunk of the June 2020 COVID-19 allowance to all Medical Health Workers.
He added that this has been cash backed and the mandate sent to the Central Bank of Nigeria for payments to start with effect from Sept. 9.
According to him, this will bring the total disbursement to about N288 billion.
Ngige noted that discussion for review of a Permanent Hazard Allowance for Health Workers would commence as soon as possible after consultation by the Minister of Labour and Employment with all stakeholders in the health sector.
He noted that based on the principles of ability to pay, this would cover all health workers in a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and that the meeting would be convened as soon as possible in that regards.
The minister also said that on the Provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), NARD had agreed that the Hospitals and Isolation Centres, have sufficient PPE.
He also said that on the provision of Group Life Insurance for Doctors and other Health Care Workers and payment of death-in-service benefit to next of kin/beneficiaries, that the government had paid the total sum of N9.3 billion (Nine billion, Three Hundred Million Naira) to Insurance Companies for Life Group Insurance and payment of death benefits for Health Workers.
Ngige also said that the enrollment for the Group Life Insurance would be by the submission of nominal rolls by the various Health Institutions, which NARD had been mandated at previous meeting to accomplish.
He said meeting also decided that NARD should submit copies of claims already made to the Insurance Companies through the hospitals to the Ministry of Health for onward transmission to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation that would ensure that the Insurance Companies pay the claims.
He added that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment should also be copied in that regards.
Ngige, however, said that on the issue of the Universal implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act in all Federal and State Hospitals, that the 2020 Appropriation Act was revised due to COVID-19 pandemic.
He noted that the N4 billion appropriated for Residency Training under a wrong heading for Medical Residency Training was to be vired before expenditure.
He added that the process of amendment is therefore ongoing and is expected that this process and cash backing would be through in two weeks.
According to Ngige, on the payment of outstanding 2014, 2015, and 2016 arrears, the meeting recalled that it had been agreed that the issue will be further discussed post COVID-19 and therefore, no agreement was breached.
He also noted that on the issue of Consequential Adjustment of the National Minimum Wage that government would pay all owed arrears to members of the association and would also implement such in States Tertiary Health Institutions.
“It was noted that those affected were the Youth Corps Members and House Officers, who are regarded as ad hoc staff and for State Hospitals, the Federal Government can only be persuasive.
“It was recalled that NARD had been assigned the responsibility to submit a list from the defaulting hospitals to the Federal Ministry of Health for onward transmission to the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, ” he said.
The minister further said that on the issue of domestication of the Residency Training Act by State Government, it agrees to recognise the autonomy of states within the Federation.
He added that the meeting agreed that the issue would be tabled at the National Economic Council and National Council of Health to persuade the states to domesticate the Act.
He also noted that on the issue Health Workers in the Medical Centres attached to Universities that the meeting agreed that workers had been tied with the ongoing strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and negotiations concerning them would be on a different platform involving Federal Ministry of Education.
“In view of these Understandings, NARD will consult with her Executive Council within the next 24hours with a view to calling off the strike by September 10, 2020.
“Nobody will be victimized for any activity connected with or for participating in the industrial action,” Ngige said.
Dr Sokomba Aliyu, NARD National President said that the meeting was successful as a lot of pledges and agreements were reached with timeline.
“Following the outcome of this meeting, we are hoping that all of that will address the concerns of our members, so we shall be convoking a meeting immediate with our members on the way forward,” he said.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that government agencies present at the meeting were representatives from Ministry of Health, Finance, Budget and National Planning and National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission.(NAN)
25,318 suspected cases of monkey pox, including 1,204 deaths, have been reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) since the declaration of monkey pox outbreak in December 2022.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday.
According to the latest report, the outbreak, which was declared by the DRC Health Ministry on Dec.
16, 2022, was prompted by a notable surge in cases and fatalities associated with monkey pox as well as a fast spread to non-endemic provinces.Since the beginning of 2024, a total of 5,133 suspected cases, including 321 deaths, have been reported, according to the WHO report. It warns that the current situation of the outbreak in the DRC is of “grave concern” due to the sustained increase in suspected cases compared to previous years.
It added that with a significant burden in younger populations, particularly children under 15 years of age, who constitute the majority of both suspected cases and deaths.
In April 2024, a high-level emergency regional meeting on monkey pox in Africa was convened in DRC capital Kinshasa, gathering 12 health ministers of regional countries, aiming to develop common strategies to prevent and intervene effectively in the face of monkey pox in Africa.
“We must prevent the DRC from becoming the source of cross-border transmission, and our partnership must prioritise the health of those affected,’’ said Jean Kaseya, the director general of the African Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) at the meeting.
“Over the years, monkey pox has become a real public health problem for our communities in the DRC, a regional threat and ultimately a global problem.
“We must now mobilise to resolve this crisis,” said Roger Kamba, DRC minister of public health, hygiene and prevention, said at the meeting.
Monkey pox, first detected in laboratory monkeys in 1958, is assumed to be transmitted from wild animals such as rodents to people or from human to human (Xinhua/NAN)
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of dire consequences if Israel goes ahead with an impending military operation in Rafah.
The planned push into the southern border city of Rafah would lead to “a bloodbath,” the organization wrote on X, formerly twitter on Saturday
The WHO said that more than 1.
2 million people were currently sheltering in the area, many unable to move anywhere else.“A new wave of displacement would exacerbate overcrowding, further limiting access to food, water, health and sanitation services, leading to increased disease outbreaks, worsening levels of hunger, and additional loss of lives.
”According to the WHO, only 33 per cent of Gaza’s 36 hospitals and 30 per cent of primary health care Centre’s were functional in some capacity amid repeated attacks and shortages of vital medical supplies, fuel, and staff.
WHO calls for an immediate and lasting ceasefire and the removal of the obstacles to the delivery of urgent humanitarian assistance into and across Gaza, at the scale that is required.
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu is determined to launch an offensive in Rafah to eliminate the remaining strongholds of Hamas.
The organisation said that although Israel’s allies have repeatedly urged caution, as a large majority of the approximately 2.2 million inhabitants of the Gaza Strip have fled to the south during the war. (dpa/NAN)
Dr. Ayodele Ogunkeyede, a Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic surgeon with Hafar Al-batin Central Hospital, Hafar Albatin, Eastern Region, Saudi Arabia, has developed novel compression therapy for sickle cell anemia chronic leg ulcers.
The compression therapy involves applying a special bandage on to squeeze and compress out stagnant blood from the legs and thereby allowing blood to flow better.
This process accelerates healing, so wounds that never healed are made to heal within weeks.
Speaking in an interview session with newsmen in Ilorin, Ogunkeyede explained that development was through extensive research and innovative thinking
The surgeon said that he developed a pioneering technique utilizing compression therapy in 2015.
Ayodele, who is also a distinguished fellow of West African College of Surgeons of plastic surgery and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, said that the procedure has offered a ray of hope to those afflicted by this challenging condition.
According to him, ulcers that once took years to heal can now be resolved within a mere three to six months due to this innovative approach.
He pointed out that the cost of the bandages was very high, but with his intervention, of manufacturing and importing the bandages, the cost was now affordable.
Ogunkeyede explained that his passion in the field had been his motivation in the innovation in the field of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) treatment.
“As both a leading surgeon and a pivotal member of the central working committee for the Sickle Cell Hope Alive Foundation, I have dedicated my career to advancing treatment strategies and improving outcomes for SCD patients worldwide,” he said.
Ogunkeyede explained that the treatment
had revolutionized the healing process of
of chronic leg ulcers, which is a debilitating complication that significantly impacts patients’ quality of life.
The expert noted that the groundbreaking work had been disseminated through publications in prestigious scientific journals and presentations at esteemed conferences including, the Sickle Cell Disease American Association’s 2018 annual conference.
“Studies also involves patients suffering from chronic leg ulcers in SCD, gathering invaluable insights that have informed and shaped treatment protocols.
“It also include empowering caregivers and ensuring the widespread adoption of effective treatment strategies,” he said.
Ogunkeyede disclosed that many healthcare givers in Nigeria were equipped and trained on how to administer compression therapy technique effectively, thus ensuring that patients receive optimal care and support.
The surgeon stated that people living with SCD, continue to motivate his drive and passion to drive efforts and continue to inspire hope to transform the lives of countless individuals afflicted by this challenging condition.
He added that he frequently dedicate his time to free-treatment of indigent people with SCD in Nigeria. (NAN)
Beer Distributors Generate Over N850 Million Monthly Income From Sale Of Beers In Benue
Share.From Attah Ede Makurdi The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD/CEO) of the Benue Investment and Property Company limited...
Senate Urges Completion of Wudil-Gaya-Dutse Dual Carriageway
ShareThe Senate has mandated its Committee on Works to interact with the Minister of Works, toward the completion of the...
NLC Rejects CBN’s Cybersecurity Levy
ShareThe Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the recent directive by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) of 0.5 (0.005)...
Shettima Calls for Revamping of Engineering Education
Share Vice President Kashim Shettima says revamping engineering education is crucial to national development. The Vice President stated this on...
Terrorism: ECOWAS to Raise $2.4bn to Fund Counter-terrorism Standby Force
Share The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) says it is working to set up a counter terrorism force...
52nd Convocation: 12,526 Students Bag First Degrees at UNN
Share The University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), says it will award 12, 526 students with first Degree certificates during its...
NLC pickets Trust Fund Pension Nationwide over Anti-labour Practices
ShareThe Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday picketed the offices of Trustfund Pensions Limited nationwide over anti-labour practices. Mr Ismail...
2024 Flood Disaster: NEMA Calls for Precautionary Measures
Share The Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Mrs Zubaida Umar has emphasised the need for proactive measures against the...
Police Arrest 22 Suspected Armed Robbers, 36 Rapists in Katsina
ShareThe Police Command in Katsina State, says within the month of April, it arrested about 22 suspected armed robbers, and...
Federal University of Applied Sciences, Manchok Bill Scales 2nd Reading
Share A bill seeking to establish the Federal University of Applied Sciences, Manchok, Kaduna State on Tuesday scaled second reading at...