The Nasarawa State House of Assembly Committee on Health has said it would continue to support the activities of the state Aids Control Agency( NACA) to tackle HIV/AIDs in the state.

The Chairman of the Committee, Usman Labaran Shafa, made this known when the Management of NACA led by its  Executive Director, Dr. Ruth Bello, appeared before the committee for the 2021 budget assessment at the assembly complex in Lafia.

Labaran Shafa said that supporting the activities of the agency would not only tackle the disease but would also improve the health status of the people of the state.

” We will continue to support your activities to take the agency to the greater height and to improve on the health of our people,” he said.

The chairman commended the Executive Director of NACA, Dr. Ruth Bello, and her management team for being up and doing in tackling HIV/ AIDs in the state.

Thee Executive Director of NACA Dr. Ruth Bello, while presenting the agency’s 2021 budget performance, commended the committee for its support to the agency.

” Presently over 65,000 people are on HIV drugs while 22,000 people infected with HIV are not on drugs in the state.

” We will continue to educate, create awareness and sensitize people of the state on the danger of HIV and its prevention in the interest of the health of the people and for the overall development of the state,” she said.

The executive director, however, identified lack of permanent staff, inadequate overhead funding, office accommodation among others as some of the challenges facing the agency in the state.

The Chairman, however, called on the state government as a matter of urgency to  provide NACA with permanent office accommodation.

Trade dispute between the Federal Government and the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD has been handed over to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria for adjudication.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, disclosed this Friday in a letter addressed to NARD and the Federal Ministry of Health.

Which reads as follows, “Whereas trade dispute has arisen and now exists between NARD and the Federal Ministry of Health/Federal Government and whereas efforts to promote settlement through conciliation were ongoing but had now failed.

“Considering the facts that members of NARD who are classified as essential services workers/employees had embarked on strike on Aug. 2, over the issues under conciliation.

”Contrary to the provisions of Section 18 of the Trade Disputes Act CAP T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, after attending a Conciliation and Agreement Review meeting on July 22.

”Further considering that the Federal Ministry of Health claims to have and produced evidence to have met most of their demands based on the various Memorandum of Action reached during past conciliations, especially that of July 22.

“Now therefore, I, Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by Section 17 of the Trades Disputes Act , CAP T8 laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

“‘I, hereby refer the matter for consideration, and the issues in dispute to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria for adjudication,” he said.

The Minister had given the NARD leadership till the end of work on Aug. 11 to convene a virtual meeting of its National Executive Committee to brief its members on the efforts of government with a view to calling off its strike.

The deputy registrar of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Dr. Victor Gbenro, has advocated systems to check infringements on patients’ health in Nigeria.

In a keynote lecture delivered by registra at the annual general meeting of the Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association.

He stated that the practice of medicine is so intimately concerned with people’s bodies, personal vulnerabilities and wellbeing and this is subject to legal and ethical restrictions, all of which have evolved or been designed to protect patients’ interests. They constrain health care practitioners to behave competently and ethically, and to conduct themselves with probity.

“As in most developed countries, infringements on patient health and safety will arise either from system or human errors; methods are put in place to document such cases in a bid to enable the healthcare system checkmate the rate of occurrence through sanctioning and litigation against the offenders. Such systems are needed in Nigeria to boost medical regulation in the country,” Gbenro said.

The chairman of the Lagos NMA, Dr Adetunji Adenekan, said the theme of the AGM was chosen to boost doctors’ knowledge on the understanding of fundamental provisions of rules and laws guiding the practice of medicine in the country as well as clarity of roles.

He said, “In recent time, there has been an increasing report of cases of alleged medical malpractice and negligence, by patients and their relations especially in Lagos State.