The Nigerian Government says it will take the final decision on the new hazard allowance for health workers in the country.

The government says it has also directed the health workers who had issued a trade dispute notices to withdraw the strike notices immediately.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige stated this on Thursday in Abuja after a meeting of the Presidential Committee on Salaries, relevant Federal Government stakeholders and health sector professional associations and trade unions.

The Minister said that the government side allowed enough time for the two big bodies of the health unions and professional, the Nigerian Medical Association NMA and the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) to harmonise their different positions on the hazard allowance, but they were not able to do so.

He said the matter would be taken back to the National Salaries, Wages and Incomes Commission NSWIC and the Presidential Committee on Salaries to decide on the new hazard allowance for health professionals and workers.

According to him, the Government was treading cautiously in order not to be seen as trying to stampede the health workers since the matter concerns money.

Recall that the Federal Government earlier offered the health workers 300 percent increment on hazard allowances, which came to 37.5 billion naira.

Government said it is trying to work within that realm of 37.5 billion naira, following the inability of the unions to harmonise their different positions.

“It is a teething problem because everybody has Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) and we are now renegotiating the CBAs. There are CBA’s in 2006, 2009, 2013 and even court pronouncements by the National Industrial Court, especially on work value and equal pay. These are things we will put in a basket and decide”, The Minister said.

On the trade dispute notices issued to the Federal Government by the National Association of Resident Doctors NARD and JOHESU, Ngige said he has directed them to withdraw the strike notices immediately.

The federal government in the year 2020 after the so called “outbreak of the COVID-19 plandemic”, promised to review upward the hazard allowances of health workers from the old figure of five thousand naira to a new figure that would be agreed by all parties.

The Coalition of Nasarawa State Health Professional Associations (CNSHPA), has suspended its one-month-old strike. This was disclosed by CNSHPA spokesperson, Mr. Kyari Caleb, while briefing newsmen on Friday in Lafia.

Caleb, who is also the state Chairman, Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, explained that the suspension of the strike followed interventions by major stakeholders in the state.

“The agreement to suspend the strike was reached on Friday (today) at the congress of the coalition, following appeals by the Traditional Council of Chiefs in the state, led by its Chairman and Emir of Lafia, Sidi Bage,” he said.

Caleb, however, directed members to resume work immediately to allow well-meaning individuals to continue to mediate on grey areas.

Meanwhile, the state Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association has dissociated itself from the purported agreement reached with the state government and the organized labour.

Dr. Sabo Emmanuel said NMA was never part of the negotiation with the state government and was thrown aback to be mentioned as part of the negotiation team which led to the earlier suspension of indefinite strike by the organized labour.

The federal government has inaugurated Research and Policy Uptake Task Team for National Intermittent Preventive Treatment of Malaria in infancy (IPTi).

Speaking during the inauguration meeting on Thursday in Abuja, the minister of health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire said, “Nigeria is yet to deploy this intervention or conduct a large scale in-country pilot since recommendation by W.H.O to provide local evidence of its effectiveness and acceptability, hence the need to conduct this study.

IPTi was recommended by W.H.O in 2010 as one of the preventive interventions for deployment in sub-Saharan Africa, where the P falciparum parasite is prevalent.

“Intermittent preventive treatment in infancy is a full therapeutic course of Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (SP) delivered to infants through routine immunisation services, for prevention of malaria in infants.

“IPTi has been shown to reduce clinical malaria, anaemia and severe malaria in the first year of life. Treatment is given three times during the first year of life at approximately 10 weeks, 14 weeks, and nine months of age, corresponding to the routine vaccination schedule of the Expanded Programme on Immunisation (EPI).

“It is pertinent to note that by coordinating IPTi delivery with EPI, coverage can be expanded. The administration is safe, simple, cost-effective and thought to be accepted by health workers and communities in countries where it is being deployed,” he said.

The Ministry of Health has issued a 14-day ultimatum to operators of Maternity homes and Orphanages in Cross River State, to register and acquire the operational license or risk closure.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Betta Edu gave the directive in Calabar sequel to the national directive for States ministries of health to checkmate the activities of illegal operators of Maternity homes and Orphanages across the country.

Dr. Edu said that the essence of the directive was to reduce the maternal and infant mortality rates across the country as well as check child trafficking and the menace of abandoned children especially street kids.

The Commissioner further stated that the registration of maternity homes including orphanages would enable the government give proper supervision and monitor the activities of those involved.

According to her, “getting Maternity homes and Orphanages registered would enable us keep track of those in the industry… First of all, we will be able to gather the correct data on the number of maternity homes including the ones run by some religious bodies.

“It is sad that the operators of Maternity homes and orphanages have seen these as avenues to make money. Most people want to own a maternity home and an orphanage not for the purpose of these facilities. They have deviated from that purpose and are only interested in making profit at the expense of the lives and comfort of these children and the vulnerable,” Edu lamented.

She further stated, “As government, we will not risk or jeopardise the life of any child in the name of business. Therefore, anyone operating any of these two facilities in Cross River State must, within a space of two weeks, which is 14 days, get registered.

“Once they are registered, the Ministry of Health has a special task force that would inspect these homes to ensure they meet the required standard because we know that most traditional birth attendants do not necessarily own topnotch facilities, but we will inspect hygiene levels as well and once satisfied, we will issue licenses. Any home found operating without registering or acquiring a license would be closed down. The operators would be arrested and prosecuted.”

The Commissioner reiterated that the Cross River State government would not tolerate child trafficking nor allow unscrupulous people take advantage of innocent citizens’ especially pregnant women and children.

Edu said; ”The administration of Governor Ben Ayade has zero tolerance for child trafficking and as such, vowed to combat and put to an end to illegal practices detrimental to the healthy and peaceful living of every citizen.