By Friday Omosola
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Iziaq Salako, has called for the establishment of mechanisms to ensure industrial peace and harmony among various union bodies in the health sector.
Salako made this appeal during a courtesy visit by members of the National Tertiary Health Institutions Standards Committee (NTHISC).
The Minister underscored the significance of achieving and maintaining industrial harmony in the health sector, emphasizing its critical role in advancing President Bola Tinubu’s agenda for improving healthcare services in the country.
“A mechanism to prevent industrial actions in such a crucial sector as health is a top priority for rebuilding public confidence in health workers and the government,” Salako stressed.
Building on this point, the Minister tasked members of the NTHISC to develop strategies aimed at defusing tensions among unions in the sector.
Addressing financial challenges faced by the committee, Salako urged its members to pursue financial independence for sustainability, while assuring them of the Federal Government’s support in charting the right course.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Philip Abiodun, highlighted funding constraints and inadequate office accommodation as major challenges. He stressed that intervention from the Ministry was essential for overcoming these hurdles and fulfilling the committee’s mandate.
It is worth noting that the National Tertiary Health Institutions Standards Committee, comprising seasoned health professionals, was inaugurated in November last year.
“It has a mandate to make relevant investigations and recommendations to the federal and state governments on tertiary health care services in the national interest; advise the federal government on the financial needs, both recurrent and capital of tertiary health services and, in particular investigate and study the financial needs for training, research and services.:
