Report on Meeting between the Permanent secretary, Federal ministry of health and Executives of the Nigerian Medical Association and committee of chief executives of fedral tertiary health institutions on 14th May 2015

 

ATTENDANCE; 

Perm Sec,  Mr. Linus AWUTE who led other Directors in the Federal Ministry of Health.

NMA delegation led by the President, Sir. Dr. Kayode OBEMBE, Secretary General,  Dr. Adewunmi ALAYAKI, DSG, Dr. Chuks OSSAI-ABANINWA, National Treasurer, Dr. Abdulrahman ABUBAKAR, Chairman Remuneration Committee,  Dr. Nosa ORHUE, member Remuneration Committee, Dr. Askira.

Committee of CMDs led by Dr. Peter ALABI, Dr. Dapo SOTILOYE, MD, FMC Abeokuta, CMD, Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Kaduna,  MD, FMC Keffi,  CMD, Federal University Teaching  Hospital, Gombe. The  representatives of the Legal department.

 

The agenda was based on issues bordering on the ongoing strike by NARD in some hospitals, which include;

1. Skipping by Doctors. 

2. Appeal on the National Industrial Court Judgement.

3. Entry point on CONHESS 09.

4. The way forward.

 

Permanent Secretary,  Mr. Linus ANWUTE in his opening speech thanked everybody for coming for the meeting, he noted that the meeting became necessary because of the pockets of strike by ARD in some centres and the letter written by NMA to the Hon. Minister of Health requesting him to call to order the officer in the FMOH in person of the Permanent Secretary who was perceived to have  given a verbal order to the CMDs to stop the implementation of skipping for Doctors in their centres.

 

He explained that the war against skipping was started by NMA which was supported by the Federal Ministry of Health and ever since, he too has been on the side of no implementation of skipping to all categories of Health Workers but, unfortunately NIC gave a judgement in support of its implementation for other health workers, a verdict the FMOH appealed against. He said his fight against skipping has never been against the doctors alone but against all categories of Health workers because it is illegal.

 

He claimed he never at any point in time gave a verbal order that implementation should stop and nobody should quote him, any CMD that has the wherewithal to pay should do so. He stated further, that, although no fund has been released for the implementation, at the same time he has not written any letter or circular or gave any order to stop the implementation.

 

NMA while responding through the chairman, remuneration committee, thanked the Perm Sec for convening the meeting. He accepted that truly NMA started the war against skipping but when the illegality could not be stopped, it became a product of well negotiated process between the NMA and the Federal Government which culminated in the circular on skipping,   not having the fund to implement it is due to some CMDs not obeying the circular.

He told the meeting that some CMDs quoted the Perm Sec that skipping was not meant for Doctors, the he would do everything possible to ensure that Doctors do not skip.

 

He prayed that if truly the order was given, it should be withdrawn.

Chairman,  Committee of CMDs, responded that no CMD is against the implementation but they are handicapped because of lack of fund to implement. He said during budget presentation they were specifically asked not to ask for money for skipping.

 

The Perm Sec in his further contribution acknowledged 2 major issues,

1. That he never ask any CMD to stop skipping although he does not believe in it but since there's is an existing circular, he does not have such power to stop the already started implementation. 

2. That those already paying should continue.

 

In Conclusion we agreed that,

1. CMDs should operate on circulars from Government,  not on phone calls or verbal orders.

2. Any hospital where non Doctors are allowed to skip, Doctors in that centre must also skip.

3. If money is not enough to pay all workers , pay same percentage to all workers.

On the appeal on the National Industrial Court judgement; this is said to be on going.

A meeting between the CMDs and NMA has been fixed for 27th of this month to find a lasting  solutions to the existing problems.

Thank you,

 

Dr. Adewunmi ALAYAKI, 

Secretary General.