President Goodluck Jonathan has agreed to
appoint
a Surgeon-General of the Federation as
demanded
by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), a
competent source in the Presidency, has
said.
The source, who pleaded anonymity, made
the
disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) on
Thursday in Abuja, that Jonathan gave this
concession after a meeting he summoned to
avert
the NMA Jan. 6 planned industrial action.
The source said the person to be appointed
to
occupy the position would be a medical
doctor.
It will be recalled that one of the demands
of the NMA
is that the Federal Government should
appoint a
medical doctor as Surgeon-General of the
Federation.
The source also said the president had
agreed that
the call duty allowance of the doctors
running into
billions of naira be paid.
The source said that following the demand
of the
association, the appointee would be
responsible for
public health.
“The government has taken a decision to
appoint a
Surgeon-General of the Federation who will
be a
medical doctor and will be responsible for
public
health.
“That appointment will be announced soon,’’
the
source said.
The source said Jonathan had directed the
Ministry of
Health to collaborate with Ministries of
Finance, Trade
and Investment in consulting with medical
practitioners to supporting private investors
to build
state-of-the-art hospitals in the country.
The decisions, the source explained, were
aimed at
promoting local potential, improving fiscal
policy on
medical equipment and checking the growth
of
medical tourism.
The source said Jonathan also directed that
before
any government official would be allowed to
travel
abroad for medicals, government must first
be
satisfied that no such medical services exist
in
country.
According to the source, the president has
also
agreed to reform the National Health
Insurance
Scheme to make it more productive.
The source said the president had also
consented to
the demand of NMA to make its
representation to the
Nigeria Institute of Policy and Strategic
Studies, Kuru.
The closed door meeting which was the
fourth since
December 2013 was attended by Gov.
Emmanuel
Uduaghan of Delta, Ministers of Health and
Labour,
Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, and Chukwuemeka
Wogu.
The meeting held at the presidential Villa
was also
attended by the Director-General of Budget
Office, Dr
Bright Okogu; and the Chairman of the
National
Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission,
Chief
Richard Egbule.
It will be recalled that the government had
earlier met
another demand by the NMA by re-
constituting the
Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
In an interview with State House
correspondents
after the meeting Uduaghan had said that
the
president conceded some demands by NMA
to avert
the strike.
Uduaghan, who did not reveal the
concessions, said
that the nation could not afford another
strike in the
medical sector.
The governor, who is a medical doctor, said
the
government team would later meet with the
NMA on
the new development. (NAN)
Source: www.vanguardngr.com/2014/01/fg-
agrees-appoint-surgeon-general-
federation/
appoint
a Surgeon-General of the Federation as
demanded
by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), a
competent source in the Presidency, has
said.
The source, who pleaded anonymity, made
the
disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) on
Thursday in Abuja, that Jonathan gave this
concession after a meeting he summoned to
avert
the NMA Jan. 6 planned industrial action.
The source said the person to be appointed
to
occupy the position would be a medical
doctor.
It will be recalled that one of the demands
of the NMA
is that the Federal Government should
appoint a
medical doctor as Surgeon-General of the
Federation.
The source also said the president had
agreed that
the call duty allowance of the doctors
running into
billions of naira be paid.
The source said that following the demand
of the
association, the appointee would be
responsible for
public health.
“The government has taken a decision to
appoint a
Surgeon-General of the Federation who will
be a
medical doctor and will be responsible for
public
health.
“That appointment will be announced soon,’’
the
source said.
The source said Jonathan had directed the
Ministry of
Health to collaborate with Ministries of
Finance, Trade
and Investment in consulting with medical
practitioners to supporting private investors
to build
state-of-the-art hospitals in the country.
The decisions, the source explained, were
aimed at
promoting local potential, improving fiscal
policy on
medical equipment and checking the growth
of
medical tourism.
The source said Jonathan also directed that
before
any government official would be allowed to
travel
abroad for medicals, government must first
be
satisfied that no such medical services exist
in
country.
According to the source, the president has
also
agreed to reform the National Health
Insurance
Scheme to make it more productive.
The source said the president had also
consented to
the demand of NMA to make its
representation to the
Nigeria Institute of Policy and Strategic
Studies, Kuru.
The closed door meeting which was the
fourth since
December 2013 was attended by Gov.
Emmanuel
Uduaghan of Delta, Ministers of Health and
Labour,
Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, and Chukwuemeka
Wogu.
The meeting held at the presidential Villa
was also
attended by the Director-General of Budget
Office, Dr
Bright Okogu; and the Chairman of the
National
Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission,
Chief
Richard Egbule.
It will be recalled that the government had
earlier met
another demand by the NMA by re-
constituting the
Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
In an interview with State House
correspondents
after the meeting Uduaghan had said that
the
president conceded some demands by NMA
to avert
the strike.
Uduaghan, who did not reveal the
concessions, said
that the nation could not afford another
strike in the
medical sector.
The governor, who is a medical doctor, said
the
government team would later meet with the
NMA on
the new development. (NAN)
Source: www.vanguardngr.com/2014/01/fg-
agrees-appoint-surgeon-general-
federation/
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