PREAMBLE: The Committee of Chief Medical Directors/ Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Hospitals held its 75th regular/ 4th Annual General Meeting at NICON Luxury hotel, abuja on 2nd and 3rd December 2015. The Hon. Minister of health, professor isaac Adewole, declared the meeting open.

 

The committee congratulates the federal government on the appointments of the Hon. Minister of health, professor Isaac Adewole, the Hon. Minister of state for healh, Dr Osagie Ehanire and the Permanent Secretary Federal Ministry of Health, Dr amina Shamaki, mni and is fully committed to support and work with them.

 

OBSERVATIONS:

1. The committee observed with commendation the renewed drive of the federal government to promote primary and secondary health care service delivery in Nigeria

2. The committee observed the lack of uniformity in implementing government policies by tertiary hospitals; this could be partly due to vague or conflicting directives from the supervisory bodies.

3. Undesirable inter and intra professional rivalries still persist within the health sector

4. The committee observed the lack of national policy for residency training in Nigeria, this is responsible for the lack of uniformity in the residency training programs across the country.

5. The committee observed that there has been no budgetary provision for outsourced services.

6. Federal tertiary health institutions have complied with the goverment directive on TSA but there are still operational issues.

7. The committee observed the lack of clear-cut guidelines for uniform implementation of skipping for health workers and praised the efforts of the hon minister of health at addressing the mater.

8. The committee noted the renewed commitment of the federal government to the use of public private partnership as a measure of sustainale healthcare financing in Nigeria

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

1. The committee commends the effort of the federal governement towards the reinvigoration of the primary and secondary health care delivery services. This should however be matched by similar commitment of states and local governments as this will certainly reduce pressure on the tertiary health institutions and enhance universal access to healthcare services.

2. Circulars emanating from supervisory bodies should be very clear and unambiguous, and clear templates and guidelines for proper and uniform implementation by the federal tertiary hospitals should accompany such directives

3. government should expedite action on the release and implementation of the white paper of the Yayale Ahmed presidential commitee of experts on inter professional relationship in the public health sector.

4. Government as a matter of urgency should develop a national policy and strategic plan for residency training in Nigeria.

5. In order to guarantee the provision of essential outsourced services in federal tertiary hospitals, governemtn should create budget lien and ensure release of funds for the payment of the outstanding liabilities and subsequent regular payment

6. There is urgent need for the office of the accountant general of the federation to meet with chief executives of tertiary hospitals, Central bank of Nigeria and REMITA to address the challenges inherent in the operations of treasury single account as it affect federal tertiary hospitals.

7. Government should put in place measures to allay fears of those skeptical of the fall out of implementation of public private partnership in federal tertiary hosptials

8. the committee reiterates the need for ALL healthworkers in federal tertiary hospitals to be paid through the IPPIS platform

 

CONCLUSION

It is our sincere hope that the implementation of these recommendations will go a long way in assisting the federal government to address the numerous challenges facing the health sector.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The committee wishes to express sincere gratitude to the Hon Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole for finding time to attend the meeting and discussing important issues affecting the health sector despite his tight schedules. The committee also wishes to thank the Hon Minister of state for health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, the permanent secretary federal ministry of health, Dr Amina Shamaki mni, the direcor of hospital services, Dr patience Osinubi and other directors of the federal ministry of health for their support.