LARA ADEJORO and TED ODOGWU
The National Association of Government General and Medical Dental Practitioners, on Friday, fixed October 1 as the date for its members in Kano to embark on strike.
The Secretary of the association in Kano, Dr Anas Hassan, made the disclosure, while addressing newsmen on the outcome of their meeting.
Anas stated that despite reaching an agreement with the state government three months ago, precisely in June to meet their demands, the government is yet to respond.
“The government has not addressed the issue of their hazard allowance, specifically the post-COVID-19 hazard allowance, which has been paid by the federal government since 2021 but is yet to be paid by the Kano
He further highlighted that some medical doctors, who were hired by the Kano State Government in September 2023, have not been paid their salaries.
Also, the medical practitioners expressed concern over the dilapidated state of Kano State hospitals and the lack of necessary equipment, stressing the urgent need to address these issues.
Anas highlighted the critical doctor-to-patient ratio in Kano, which is significantly lower than the World Health Organization’s standard.
He noted that there are an estimated 20 million people in Kano, served by only 600 doctors, resulting in a ratio of one doctor to 33,000 patients.
The medical practitioners concluded that they had no other option but to embark on the strike on October 1, 2024.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has set up four committees to address some of the demands of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives.
NANNM had threatened to embark on industrial action if their 11 demands were not met.
The nurses and midwives are demanding the creation of a department of nursing in the Ministry of Health, the upward review of peculiar professional allowance, the inclusion of nurses in the health policy-making body, the gazetting of nurses’ schemes of service as approved in 2016, and the implementation of the National Industrial Court judgment of January 27, 2012.
Other demands are the payment of salaries owed the staff of the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the opening of the verification portal, the employment of nursing personnel and provision of adequate health facility equipment, a fair representation by the association in the board member of Tertiary Health Institutions, the centralisation of industry posting for graduate nurses, and consultancy for nurses.
Sunday PUNCH learnt that the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, had constituted four committees to address some of the demands.
While the nursing council had opened the verification portal, other demands had yet to be met.
Speaking in an interview with our correspondent, the National Vice President of NANNM, Abubakar Shehu, confirmed that Prof Pate had constituted four committees to address some of the demands.
Shehu said, “The minister directed those committees to swing into action immediately. For instance, a committee was formed and two of our members were included in the committee for the gazetting of schemes of service.
“The Director of Health Services and a representative of the union are going to raise a memo for the onward submission to the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation.
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