Shelve Your Planned Strike, FG Will Honour All Valid Agreements, Buhari Tells Doctors
President Muhammadu Buhari Thursday in Abuja urged the National
Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to shelve its threatened strike
action and give the Federal Government more time to address the grievances
of doctors.
Speaking at a meeting with the leadership of the Nigerian Medical
Association (NMA), President Buhari gave the doctors an assurance that no
agreements duly entered into by the Federal Government will be dishonoured
by his administration.
The President called for greater understanding and support from doctors
and all Nigerians in view of the present short fall in national revenue
brought about by the decline of crude oil prices.
Decrying the adverse impact of the fall in oil prices on the Federal
Government’s spending plans for health and other sectors, President Buhari
said that his administration will continue to do its best to address
issues that are of concern to doctors and other Nigerians.
The President also gave the NMA delegation an insight into his
administration’s plan to establish 10,000 primary healthcare centres
across the country in the next two years with the objective of providing
better healthcare for about 100 million Nigerians.
He also told the delegation led by NMA President, Dr. Kayode Obembe that
the National Health Act will soon be gazetted and a steering committee
appointed to oversee its implementation.
The Minister of Health , Prof. Isaac Adewole described the plan to
establish more healthcare centres as “the single most ambitious health
plan for the poor in the history of Nigeria”.
In his remarks at the meeting, Dr. Obembe called for the implementation of
the report of the Yayale Ahmed Committee on better relations among
professional groups in the health sector.
The NMA President also called for fast-tracking of the implementation of
the National Health Act.
At a separate meeting with the leadership of the Pharmaceutical Society of
Nigeria (PSN), President Buhari promised that his administration will
evolve and implement measures to curb friction and disharmony among the
professional groups in the health sector.
The President urged the PSN to work more closely with the National Agency
for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to curb the sale of
fake medicines in the country.
The President of the PSN, Ahmed Ibrahim Yakasai assured President Buhari
that pharmacists in Nigeria were ready to work in harmony with other
professionals in the health sector to help the Federal Government achieve
its objective of improving healthcare services in the country.
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