The House of Representatives, Federal Government and medical directors have formed a committee to resolve the crisis between the government and the doctors over non-payment of N26.5bn arrears, among others.
Making up the panel are the House Committees on Health Care Services and Health Institutions, the Federal Ministries of Health and Finance; and the Committee of Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors.
The panel was mandated to resolve all issues affecting the doctors and report to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, within one week.
The committee was set up after a meeting between the leadership of the House and stakeholders in the health sector, which was aimed at preventing the strike proposed by resident doctors in protests against non-implementation of the agreement reached with them by the government.
Chairman of the House Committee on Health Services, Mr Yusuf Sununu, said the meeting was a continuation of the previous meetings with NARD’s leadership called by the Speaker
Sununu said, “There were three issues in contention at that meeting: one is the issue of shortfall of salary that amounted to N3.5bn, which is to be paid to doctors practising in the country. I think that has been successfully resolved, as both the Budget Office (of the Federation) and the Ministry of Finance clearly told us that a provision was made to ensure that within this month, at least, that will be paid.
“Secondly, we also have issue of skipping arrears totalling about N23bn, which was strongly debated. Mr. Speaker was of the view, as of the conclusion of that meeting, that the claim was a genuine one; because all evidence before the meeting as of that date showed that the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Health, has gone into agreement to pay these skipping arrears.
“These are all the available documents that were tendered before the committee. That the issue of skipping was in court could not be substantiated by the documents tendered before that meeting.”
The lawmaker noted that the third issue was on how to fund the medical residency of doctors, the bill of which President Muhammadu Buhari had signed into law last year.
Also, Chairman of the Committee on Health Institutions, Pascal Obi, said, “Based on the fruitful deliberation we’ve had here today, I’m convinced we will not be talking about strike again.”
Obi expressed confidence in the committee that had been set up, saying he is sure the panel will resolve all the issues between the doctors and the Federal government.
President of the NARD, Dr. Olusegun Olaopa, while briefing journalists
on the outcome of the session, stated that there would be no problem if the government kept its side of the bargain.
“Were trying to let the government know that it is not as if we are unreasonable, we are doing everything possible to show reasoning and continue to negotiate with the government. If the various organs of government can keep their own terms, there will not be problems.
“Currently, I must say it is an ongoing process and we believe it is going to lead to a long-lasting solution to the problem,” Olaopa said.
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