TheNewsGuru

Tag: doctors

  • Alarming: 20 Nigerian doctors die in one week from COVID19 infection

    Alarming: 20 Nigerian doctors die in one week from COVID19 infection

    No fewer than 20 Nigerian medical doctors have died in the last one week from COVID-19 infection because infected patients did not disclose their status.

    Dr Job Enema Amodu, Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association at a briefing in Abuja.

    He said the fatalities were recorded all over the country.

    In December, a total of 70 deaths have so far been recorded by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, as COVID-19 related.

    Amodu advised patients visiting clinics and hospitals to declare their true health status to avoid exposing doctors and other health workers to the risk of disease infection.

    “For those of us in the health sector, we have lost quite a number of colleagues in the last one week alone. Across the country, we have lost no fewer than 20 doctors.

    “We also want to use this opportunity to talk to our patients; as you come to us in the hospitals, in the clinics, please oblige us.

    “Wear your mask. Tell us the truth about your past medical condition and don’t hold any information back,” he added.

    “I am the Chairman of NMA, FCT and by the special grace of God, I am standing here today as a survivor because I inadvertently saw a patient that I didn’t know had COVID-19 and she didn’t tell me, and she knew.

    “I was exposed, I contacted the virus, I developed symptoms but by the grace of God, my colleagues rallied around me and I survived,” he revealed.

    “This second wave is so overwhelming; this second wave is more catastrophic, and this probably would be because a lot of people have gone back to the way of doing things.

    “They have thought that the virus is over, it has come, and it is gone, and they have let their guards down.”

  • Lawmakers demand better salaries for doctors, others

    Lawmakers demand better salaries for doctors, others

    The House of Representatives, on Tuesday, condemned the mass exodus of workers in the health sector, calling on the Federal Government to discourage the migration of health workers to other countries.

     

    The House specifically urged the Ministry of Labour, Employment, and Productivity to “review the salary, allowances, and welfare of Nigerian medical practitioners.”

     

    The House also called on the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Productivity to “consider expanding the size of the medical practitioner in the country to create employment for the unemployed ones and develop a functional strategy that will attract diaspora medical personnel to work at various teaching hospitals.”

     

    Also, the lawmakers instructed the ministry to ensure employment of Nigerian medical practitioners, while mandating the House Committee on Health Care Services to “call other relevant stakeholders for an interactive session in other to proffer a lasting solution to brain drain of medical personnel from Nigeria.”

     

    These are the prayers of a motion moved by a member, Ganiyu Johnson, titled ‘Need to Address the Increasing Rate of Brain Drain of Medical Personnel from Nigeria,’ which was unanimously adopted by the House.

     

    Moving the motion, Johnson said, “The House notes that Nigeria has one of the leading stocks of human resources for health in Africa but has failed to meet the health attention of its over 200 million people as a result of brain drain.

     

    “The House also notes that the Nigeria Medical Association, in 2016, gave the statistics of about 5,000 medical workers leaving the country annually to developed countries, making Nigeria the highest source of foreign-born medical practitioners abroad.

     

    “The House is aware from studies that Nigeria has over 90,000 qualified medical doctors practising abroad and, in fact, an average of 50 doctors who had their primary medical education in Nigeria are said to be registering for practice every week in the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada and the oil-rich countries.

     

    “The House is also aware that Saudi Arabia’s health ministry visits Nigeria every year to conduct screening for intending medical practitioner, both in Abuja and Lagos, to take them to their country for employment, and Nigerian doctors are struggling for visa at the British High Commission to travel to their country after they have even passed their compulsory Professional Linguistic Assessment Board exams at the British Council.”

     

    Johnson itemized some factors responsible for the development to include inadequate infrastructure, poor human resources planning, management practices and structures, unsatisfactory working conditions characterised by heavy workloads and other factors such as lack of professional autonomy, poor supervision and support, long working hours, unsafe workplaces, inadequate career structures, poor working conditions and poor compensation packages.

     

    He added, “The exodus of medical practitioners in Nigeria has in particular contributed to acute shortages of specialised and experienced health professionals in the country and if not curbed, it will be tough for Nigeria to tackle poverty because health is actually the wealth.”

  • Trump accuses U.S. doctors of profiting from COVID-19 deaths

    Trump accuses U.S. doctors of profiting from COVID-19 deaths

    U.S. President Donald Trump has accused doctors of profiting from COVID-19 deaths, with the virus exploding in many states.

    However, his challenger Joe Biden said Trump had surrendered to the pandemic.

    Both rivals on Friday sought support in Midwestern states where the coronavirus has roared back.

    In Wisconsin, where new cases doubled last week, Trump urged the state’s Democratic governor to lift restrictions that aim to slow the virus’s spread.

    Most in the crowd of several thousand did not wear masks.

    “You’ve got to open up your state and you’ve got to do it fast!” Trump said at the rally, with just four days to go before the election.

    READ ALSO Coronavirus: Kano records first case
    Earlier in the day in Michigan, Trump attacked the U.S. medical system, falsely saying: “Our doctors get more money if someone dies from COVID.”

    In Minnesota, Biden accused Trump of “giving up” in the fight against the virus and said he should not attack medical personnel who are treating its victims.

    “Unlike Donald Trump, we will not surrender to this virus,” he said. Supporters, socially distanced in their cars at the state fairground, and honked their horns in agreement.

    The coronavirus pandemic, which has killed more than 229,000 people in the United States and cost millions more their jobs, has dominated the final days of the campaign.

    A record surge of cases is pushing hospitals to the brink of capacity.

    The news pushed Wall Street to its worst week since March, undercutting one of Trump’s main arguments for re-election.

    Trump, who recovered from COVID-19 weeks ago, has played down the health crisis for months, telling supporters in recent weeks that the country is “turning the corner” even as cases surge.

    Biden has warned of a “dark winter” ahead and promised a renewed effort to contain the virus.

  • FG kicks, says nationwide strike by health workers ill-timed, illegal

    FG kicks, says nationwide strike by health workers ill-timed, illegal

    The Federal Government, Sunday, described the strike declared by the Joint Health Sector Unions and Assembly of Health Care Professionals, JOHESU as unnecessary, ill-timed and illegal. The government said its commitment to the health sector was manifest and irrevocable.

    The health workers had declared strike starting from 11:59p.m., on Sunday, September 13, over the inability of the Federal Government to meet their demands.

    However, the government has directed various unions under JOHESU not to go ahead with the strike, saying the Ministry of Labour and Employment had apprehended the dispute with the conciliation initiated on Thursday, September 9, which was still ongoing.

    A statement by the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Charles Akpan, said going ahead with the action would be illegal as it is in clear breach of the ILO Principles and Conventions on Strike and Sec. 18 of the Trades Disputes Act, Cap T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

    It urged JOHESU not to arm-twist or intimidate the Federal Government that had shown “clear commitment to tackling the challenges in the sector, as evidenced by the huge resources it has been pouring into the sector since the Covid-19 pandemic broke out.”

    According to the statement, “the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, has effectively apprehended the trade dispute as forwarded to him by JOHESU and has brought JOHESU and the Federal Ministry of Health, their employers, to conciliation since Thursday, September 9.

    “Parties in disputes are expected not to arm-twist, intimidate or foist helplessness on the other party while negotiations are ongoing as per Sections 8 and 18 the of Trade Dispute Act (TDA) 2004 barring any strike, when the matters are before a conciliator and undergoing conciliation.

    “Any strike now is inimical to an equable settlement of the dispute, bearing in mind especially that this is a grave period of a pandemic, where the Federal Government has spent about N20 billion to pay April/May and an additional N8.9 billion for June 2020 on Covid-19 hazard and inducement allowances, respectively, to all categories of health workers that are mainly JOHESU members.”

  • Replacing striking doctors with corps members absurd – Shehu Sani

    Replacing striking doctors with corps members absurd – Shehu Sani

    Shehu Sani, a former federal lawmaker, has reacted to the recent statement by the Minister of Health, directing federal hospitals to replace doctors with corps members.

    The Health Minister, lamenting the strike action by resident doctors directed the CMDs and MDs of all federal tertiary hospitals to replace the doctors in their hospitals with consultants and doctors on the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC.

    Ehanire said the strike commenced by the doctors at a time when the country was battling the COVID-19 pandemic was ill-timed.

    Reacting, Sani on his Twitter page said the replacement of striking doctors with corps members is impracticable and absurd.

    He told the government to rather meet the demands of the doctors, adding that not every Nigerian can afford medical tourism abroad.

    His tweet read: “It’s absurd and impracticable for the Minister of Health to direct public hospitals to replace striking Doctors with Youth Corps members.

    “The Government should concede to the demands of the Doctors. Not every Nigerian can afford medical tourism to Europe or Asia.”

  • FG urges hospitals to replace striking doctors with corps members

    FG urges hospitals to replace striking doctors with corps members

    The Federal Government has directed the Chief Medical Directors and Managing Directors of federal tertiary hospitals to “immediately” commence the use of consultants and doctors on the National Youth Service Corps to provide routine services.

    The government also directed that locum staff should “be brought in when and where necessary to forestall services’ disruption when applicable and affordable”.

    The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, gave the directive in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday.

    He was reacting to the nationwide strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors over the non-payment of their COVID-19 hazard allowance and other demands.

    He said, “lt is with deep concern that l view the ongoing strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors which commenced yesterday (Tuesday) September 7, 2020.

    “We must remember that the primary duty of doctors and all health workers is to save lives. Embarking on a strike in this time that the country is battling with the COVlD-19 pandemic is ill-timed and ill-advised.

    “lt is a critical time in which all well-meaning medical professionals should close ranks and confront the common enemy, which is the COVlD-I9 pandemic threatening mankind.

    “This is therefore one strike too many. Besides, most of the demands have been met and others, though, difficult, are at an advanced stage of implementation. A little patience would have made a big difference.

    “The Federal Ministry of Health finds it necessary to ensure measures are put in place to mitigate the effect of this strike on the generality of our populace by directing the CMDs/MDs of our federal tertiary hospitals to immediately do the following: COVlD-19 treatment outlets should continue to function as before.

    “Emergency services should continue to run as before. Routine services should be maintained with Consultants, NYSC Doctors. Locum staffers to be brought in when and where necessary to forestall services disruption when applicable and affordable.

    “I call on the NARD to return to work and engage the Federal Government in completing the ongoing due process of implementing the MoU between NARD and government.

    “I wish to assure the general public that measures have been put in place to ensure that they continue to access services at all our federal tertiary hospitals across the country.”

  • Doctors’ strike: FG approves fresh N8.9bn for COVID-19 hazard allowance

    Doctors’ strike: FG approves fresh N8.9bn for COVID-19 hazard allowance

    The Federal Government has approved additional N8.9 billion to pay up the large chunk of the June 2020 COVID-19 allowance to all Medical Health Workers in the country.

    Sen Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment disclosed this during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the end of the meeting between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Wenesday in Abuja.

    It would be recalled that NARD had embarked on a total and an indefinite strike in all Federal and State hospitals in the country to press for its demands.

    NARD demands include payment of the Medical Residency Training funding to all members as approved in the revised 2020 Budget, provision of genuine Group Life Insurance and Death in Service Benefits for all health workers.

    Others are payment of outstanding April/May and June COVID-19 inducement allowance, determination of revised hazard allowance for all health workers as agreed in previous meetings with relevant stakeholders, immediate payment of salary shortfall of 2014, 2015 and 2016, among others.

    Ngige said that implementation of the payment of the Special Hazard and Inducement Allowance has been concluded.

    According him, the meeting was satisfied that the N20 billion already appropriated in 2020 COVID-19 budget has been exhausted.

    He said the meeting, therefore, commended the Federal Government and Mr President for approving additional N8.9bn to pay up the large chunk of the June 2020 COVID-19 allowance to all Medical Health Workers.

    He added that this has been cash backed and the mandate sent to the Central Bank of Nigeria for payments to start with effect from Sept. 9.

    According to him, this will bring the total disbursement to about N288 billion.

    Ngige noted that discussion for review of a Permanent Hazard Allowance for Health Workers would commence as soon as possible after consultation by the Minister of Labour and Employment with all stakeholders in the health sector.

    He noted that based on the principles of ability to pay, this would cover all health workers in a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) and that the meeting would be convened as soon as possible in that regards.

    The minister also said that on the Provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), NARD had agreed that the Hospitals and Isolation Centres, have sufficient PPE.

    He also said that on the provision of Group Life Insurance for Doctors and other Health Care Workers and payment of death-in-service benefit to next of kin/beneficiaries, that the government had paid the total sum of N9.3 billion (Nine billion, Three Hundred Million Naira) to Insurance Companies for Life Group Insurance and payment of death benefits for Health Workers.

    Ngige also said that the enrollment for the Group Life Insurance would be by the submission of nominal rolls by the various Health Institutions, which NARD had been mandated at previous meeting to accomplish.

    He said meeting also decided that NARD should submit copies of claims already made to the Insurance Companies through the hospitals to the Ministry of Health for onward transmission to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation that would ensure that the Insurance Companies pay the claims.

    He added that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment should also be copied in that regards.

    Ngige, however, said that on the issue of the Universal implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act in all Federal and State Hospitals, that the 2020 Appropriation Act was revised due to COVID-19 pandemic.

    He noted that the N4 billion appropriated for Residency Training under a wrong heading for Medical Residency Training was to be vired before expenditure.

    He added that the process of amendment is therefore ongoing and is expected that this process and cash backing would be through in two weeks.

    According to Ngige, on the payment of outstanding 2014, 2015, and 2016 arrears, the meeting recalled that it had been agreed that the issue will be further discussed post COVID-19 and therefore, no agreement was breached.

    He also noted that on the issue of Consequential Adjustment of the National Minimum Wage that government would pay all owed arrears to members of the association and would also implement such in States Tertiary Health Institutions.

    “It was noted that those affected were the Youth Corps Members and House Officers, who are regarded as ad hoc staff and for State Hospitals, the Federal Government can only be persuasive.

    “It was recalled that NARD had been assigned the responsibility to submit a list from the defaulting hospitals to the Federal Ministry of Health for onward transmission to the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning, ” he said.

    The minister further said that on the issue of domestication of the Residency Training Act by State Government, it agrees to recognise the autonomy of states within the Federation.

    He added that the meeting agreed that the issue would be tabled at the National Economic Council and National Council of Health to persuade the states to domesticate the Act.

    He also noted that on the issue Health Workers in the Medical Centres attached to Universities that the meeting agreed that workers had been tied with the ongoing strike by Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and negotiations concerning them would be on a different platform involving Federal Ministry of Education.

    “In view of these Understandings, NARD will consult with her Executive Council within the next 24hours with a view to calling off the strike by September 10, 2020.

    “Nobody will be victimized for any activity connected with or for participating in the industrial action,” Ngige said.

    Dr Sokomba Aliyu, NARD National President said that the meeting was successful as a lot of pledges and agreements were reached with timeline.

    “Following the outcome of this meeting, we are hoping that all of that will address the concerns of our members, so we shall be convoking a meeting immediate with our members on the way forward,” he said.

    Government agencies present at the meeting were representatives from Ministry of Health, Finance, Budget and National Planning and National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission.(

  • FCT doctors embark on strike over COVID-19 allowance

    FCT doctors embark on strike over COVID-19 allowance

    The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration chapter, on Tuesday embarked on strike over non-payment of their COVID-19 hazard and inducement allowances.

    The strike which was also premised on the non-implementation of the variation of the 2018 promotion, amongst other issues, was sequel to the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum given to the FCTA over the issues in the communiqué submitted to the administration dated August 14, 2020.

    The strike decision was contained in a fresh communiqué issued on Monday at the end of its emergency meeting held both physically virtually in Abuja.

    The communiqué was co-signed by the chairman of ARD-FCTA, Dr Roland Aigbovo and General Secretary, Dr Mustapha Ibrahim.

    The ARD-FCTA said the strike would only be called off when their demands were met.

    The communiqué reads in part, “Due to the insensitivity displayed by the Office of the Permanent Secretary, FCT, and widespread agitations among our members in the various FCT hospitals and isolation/treatment centres, we regret to notify the administration and by extension the general public that the association would embark on an indefinite strike action with effect from 8am, 1st September 2020 until the payment of the COVID-19 hazard and inducement allowance is received and the variation of the 2018 promotion exercise implemented.

    “We regret any inconveniences this might cause the Federal Capital Territory Administration and the general public needing healthcare delivery during this period.

  • Shut down your private hospitals or be sacked, Nasarawa govt tells doctors on payroll

    Shut down your private hospitals or be sacked, Nasarawa govt tells doctors on payroll

    The Nasarawa State Government has resolved to sack any medical doctor who is on government payroll and still run a private hospital.

    The state Commissioner for Justice, Abdulkarin Kana, who spoke to journalists yesterday after the state executive council meeting, added that they must close down their private hospitals.

    He said the action would allow them concentrate on their responsibilities and avoid diverting patients to their private hospitals

    The state executive council also approved the establishment of the state Bereau for Rural Development to FastTrack development at the grassroots in the state.

    The state Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dogo Shammah said the newly created bureau would have responsibilities of managing all rural roads, electricity and ensure supply of water to rural areas across the state.

    Other responsibilities of the bureau according to the information commissioner include upgrading and maintenance of feeder roads among others.

    Shammah noted that the council also approved the introduction of special scholarship scheme to encourage state indigenes who are studying medical related courses in other to reduce the high rate of inadequate medical personnel in the state.

  • Robots to protect doctors working with COVID-19 Patients – Minister

    Robots to protect doctors working with COVID-19 Patients – Minister

    Rwanda uses robots to protect doctors, who treat COVID-19 patients through minimising contact, Health Minister Daniel Ngamije said on Thursday.

    Ngamije said this at a news conference in Moscow.

    “We have some health personnel who have been infected with COVID-19.

    “I think there are less than 10 because we deployed all the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) measures and different measures were taken to avoid that health personnel be contaminated with this disease.

    “We also use robots to reduce contact of health personnel with patients, those robots are helping us to collect some information, temperature and other information, treatment standards.

    “So, basically we do not have a big issue of health personnel affected by COVID-19 so far,” Ngamije said.

    World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti added that around 35,000 health care workers were infected with COVID-19 in Africa, most of them (24,000) in South Africa.

    Moeti also said that the WHO was deploying more than 40 regional experts to South Africa to provide assistance.

    According to Moeti, Africa has recorded slightly less that 1 million COVID-19 cases so far and over 20,000 people on the continent have lost their lives due to the virus.