Labour Union Vows To Resist Privatisation Of Tertiary Health Centres 

 

 

…..urges Tinubu to declare state of emergency in health sector 

 

By AKOR SYLVESTER-Abuja

 

The Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP) has vowed to resist any attempt by government to privatise the territory health centres in the country.

 

The Union rather urged President Bola Tinubu to: declare State of Emergency in the health sector to address brain drain and other prevailing challenges in the sector.

 

President of NUAHP Ibrahim Alhassan Kamal, at a press conference in Abuja Thursday said, the Union in alliance with other health workers Unions and the organised labour in general under the coordination of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and their pro-labour Civil Society allies would battle government, if it attempts to privatise public health institutions in Nigeria.

 

He said Privatisation of such social service institutions and its attendant consequences like job loss, wage loss and making healthcare out of the reach of ordinary citizens will further worsen the living conditions of the citizens of the Country.

 

According to him, the present alarming poverty rate in the country should be of concern to well-meaning and patriotic Nigerians.

 

The Union president therefore called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to discountenance such unpatriotic calls for privatisation of the tertiary healthcare centres.

 

The Union condemned in its entirety the recent statement credited to the President of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Ojinmah Uche urging the Federal Government of Nigeria to privatise all tertiary healthcare centres in the country.

 

But the union president described the statement as unfortunate and insensitive, saying the call for privatisation of the public health institutions by the NMA as a panacea to brain drain in the health has further demonstrated that the association is not interested in the common good and well-being of the Nigerian citizens.

 

He said “Privatisation of Public Health Institutions in whatever guise is not the solution to any problem in the health sector but more hardship to common citizens of Nigeria; who by fundamental right as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) should have unhindered access to healthcare as a social service.

 

“The Right to Health is guaranteed under the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights. Nationally, it is guaranteed under Chapter 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

 

“The right to health was first articulated in the World Health Organisation (WHO) 1946 Constitution which states that: the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being.

 

“Even in a capitalist Country like the United Kingdom, a public sector funded universal health coverage programme called the National Health Service (NHS) had been institutionalised for close to a century now, precisely since 1948 with over one million workforce and with a budget of £190.3b in 2022.

 

“This social care programme has remained sacred like a religion to the citizens of the United Kingdom and the Government of that Country has continued to widen the workforce by recruiting health professionals from other countries of which significant members of the Nigeria Medical Association are beneficiaries to the detriment of the Nigerias Health System.

 

“The Union rejects the NMAs President assertion that, private health sector driven healthcare system with government support and enabling environment will over time stop brain drain and may even initiate brain gain in Nigeria. His suggestion that, 51 % of shares be sold to core investors who become majority shareholders and in thus responsible for day to day running of the institutions, fixing of salary, hiring and firing and make sure it turn in profits after tax revealed the self-serving nature of an average Physicians/Medical Doctors who place more priority on their private health centres than the primary hospitals they were employed to provide healthcare services to the citizens

 

“The Union has in conjunction with other health workers Unions over the years attributed the major challenges of the public healthcare institutions in Nigeria to the following factors: Inadequate funding/budgetary allocation by Government,  bad leadership and poor management of public health institutions by physicians/medical doctors led management team

Noncompliance to the circulars and operational guidelines by Chief Executive Officers of public health institutions

 

Others he said we’re lack of transparency and prudent management of available resources under-utilisation of other healthcare professionals

Infrastructural deficits, out of stock of drugs and consumables due poor financial management of funds and non-adherence to Drug Revolving Funds (DRF) Scheme,

discriminatory management practices and unfair treatment of other health professionals in public health institutions

 

He further said the above factors were necessary conditions to ensure effectiveness of the healthcare system in Nigeria and provision of universal health coverage in line with the Goal 3 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

 

The NUAHP  president further used the forum to call for increase budgetary allocation to the health sector and total overhauling of health infrastructures.

 

He also called for appointment of seasoned administrators to manage Public Health Institutions.

 

NUAHP is an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) with membership cutting across health professionals from Pharmacy, Medical Laboratory Science, Physiotherapy, Radiography, Dietetics, Dental Technology Occupational Therapy, Health Information Management, Nutrition, Social Work, Speech Therapy, Dental Therapy, Optometry, Clinical Psychology, Prosthetics/Orthotics, Medical Physics, Audiology, EEG and ECG Specialists amongst others.