Communique Issued At The End of The 31st Annual National Scientific Conference And National Executive Council Meeting Of The National Association Of Nigeria Nurses & Midwives (NANNM) Federal Health Institutions Sector, Held At Hotel De Bently Abuja From 21st - 26th November 2016

 

1. The Participants in session commend the president and Commander in chief of the Armed Forces of The Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excelency Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) for his efforts in sustaining the fight againt corruption and insecurity for the well being of the citizenry.

 

2. The Participants in session observe with great concern the worsening inadequate manpower, dearth of Nurse Specialists, Infrastructure and insufficient medical consumables in our various Federal Health Institutions. We therefore call on the Federal Government to improve on its budgetary allocation to health, introduce health tax while also calling on philanthropists to partner with the government in providing quality healthcare to its citizenry.

 

3. The Participants in session applauds the policy of the public private partnership (PPP) as a means of improving the healthcare delivery and urge the federal government to ensure that the policy is transparently implemented and all stakeholders carried along.

 

4. The participants in session call on the Federal Government to strengthen the NAtional Health Insurance Scheme and further expand its scope to accomodate the aged and the private sector

 

5. Congress in session noted with dismay the non payment of relativity promotion and skipping arrears to our members and strongly demand the immediate payment of these arreas without any further delay.

 

6. The congress in session note with dismay some obnoxious policies by the Federal Minstry of Health (FMOH) which is at variance with the NIC Judgement on career progression for Nurses & Midwives. This Includes:

 

. Re-Designation Of Nurses

. Stagnation of Nurses on CONHESS 12 and above

. Expunging the Principal Nursing Officer cadre which is in flagrant disregard to the NIC judgement of 2012

 

The Federal Ministry of Health is also known to be discriminatry and selective in the implementation of government policies and directives which is creating so much tension between the ministry and the unions/associations. This is responsibe for the incessant crises in the health sector. We therefore call on Mr. President, the senate, house of representatives and members of the oublic to call the FMOH to order as the health sector in Nigeria cannot afford any further form of industrial crises.

 

7. The congress in session strongly condemn the failure to recommence the payment of teaching allowance to our members on CONHESS 7 & 8 by the FMOH & IPPIS offices. We therefore call on them to re commence the payment and accruing arrears without further delay.

 

8. The Congress in session also views as vexatious the discriminatory attitude of the FMOH & some CMD/MDs by implementing the policy of "No Work No Pay". It must be noted that we were constrained to undertake the strike action because of managements violation of a court order given in our favour. We therefore call on the Federal Ministry of health to pay our members whose salaries have been with held as the strike action can therefore not be taken as a strike in the sense of the word.

 

9. The congress in session views with great concern the perennail non payment of salaries to workers in some Federal Health Institutions at the last quarter of the year which might not be unconnected with financial recklessness and indiscipline by some of these Chief Executives. We call o the president with his anti corruption stance to declare a stste of emergency in the health sector and direct the relevant anti corruption agencies to carry out a forensic assessment of the disbursement of funds in the federal ministry of health, its agences and parastatals.

 

In conclusion, we appeal to our members to remain calm in the face of visible provocation and continue to render selfless services to the good people of Nigeria while awaiting furthr directives.

 

Signed

Com. Wale Olatunde

National Chairman

 

Com. GAmbo Danfulani Mirnga

National Secretary