Health bill: Group urges Jonathan to withhold assent

The Nigerian Union of Pharmacists, Medical Technologists and Professions Allied to Medicine has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to withhold his assent to the National Health Bill.

The union argued that the President’s assent to the bill would constitute another source of disharmony in the health sector.


National President, NUPMTPAM, Mr. Felix Faniran, said at the triennial delegates’ conference of the union on Wednesday that the group’s position was in view of the dangerous provisions inserted in the recently passed NHB by the Senate.

“In view of the dangerous provisions inserted in the recently passed NHB by the Senate, Mr. President should please not assent to the bill until necessary corrections are made so that the bill will not constitute another source of problem in the health sector,” Faniran said.

He also urged Jonathan not to appoint the next Minister of Health from the same professional group as the currently serving senior health minister, saying that another health professional group would be in a better position to ensure effective health reform in the country.

He urged the state governors to take a cue from President Jonathan by paying the minimum wage of all state workers.

“Similarly, I urge the state governors to ensure that the Consolidated Health Salary Structure is implemented at all levels so that health professionals can be retained in their places of work at the state and local levels. We plead with the President to assist the states financially to be able to do so,” he said.

He said Nigeria’s health care delivery system had deteriorated. He noted that it had been recorded that the nation’s health indices were among the lowest in the world.

He highlighted poor maternal mortality ratio; loss of the nation’s best health experts to developed nations; incessant strike actions; open inter-professional disharmony; poor management of health care resources among others as the bane of the health sector.

On his part, Chairman, NUPMTPAM, Lagos Council, Mr. C.I. Ugboaja, said they understood the strength in diversity and the power of the union and had resolved to remain united, forging a common front to move the health profession to greater heights.

He said NUPMTAPM was the most peaceful, understandable and friendly union that used the instrument of negotiation and re-negotiation to achieve its goals for the members.

“We have not been known for frivolous strike actions. I hereby promise to use the same negotiation style in any business relationship with Lagos State Government,” Ugboaja stated.

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