The Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU has expressed dissatisfaction over the report of Yayale Ahmed Presidential Committee of Experts on Inter-Professional Relationship in the Public Health Sector, YAPCEPRPH.

 

The report which is expected to provide lasting solution to unhealthy rivalry among health professionals came under criticism following what they described as it being one-sided.

 

The committee which was set-up by President Goodluck Jonathan and led by a former Head of Service, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed to look into the unhealthy rivalry among health professionals recently submitted a report that identified 50 areas of conflict among health workers in the country.

 

 

In a reaction, the Union which comprises all health workers except doctors, described the report as one-sided and favouring their counterpart.

 

In a jointly signed statement by the all member associations of the Union, the group stated: "It is necessary to inform the Federal Government that we out rightly reject the very biased and one-sided Yayale Ahmed Presidential Committee of Experts on Professional Relationships in the Public Health Sector(YAPCEPRPH) in both public and professional interests.

 

"From all intents, the report only seeks to further marginalise our members and compromises the future of generations of our members who will be permanently made sub-servient to their contemporaries in medicine.

 

"We strongly demand this report which is not in tune with national development and interest be immediately withdrawn for public good and the future of the health sector," it was noted.

 

The Union, however described the establishment of office of chief medical adviser to the president as a way of re-introducing the concept of Surgeon-General as demanded by the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA.

 

"Also on the issue of creation of national healthcare commission to replace professional regulatory agencies and regulate tertiary health facilities is clearly out of line and a design to institutionalise confusion.

 

JOHESU wondered how one commission was being proposed take over the functions of 15 different professional regulatory councils as well as regulate the activities of 55 Federal Health Institutions as presently constituted.

 

By Gabriel Olawale

Vanguard