The NARD had on Monday given the Federal Government a 21-day notice to meet their demands or face an indefinite strike.
Their demands include payment of members’ salaries till date and appropriate placement of members in states and federal tertiary hospitals across the nation, reversal of sacked members in some hospitals and appropriate funding of residency training programme.
NARD’s President Dr. Muhammad Askira, had told newsmen in Abuja, that the ultimatum took effect from April 4.
But speaking at the commemoration of the 2016 World Health Day and the flag off of diabetics screening exercise organized by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, gave assurance that there will be no strike.
The focus of 2016 World Health Day campaign is on Diabetes with the theme “Beat Diabetes”.
Adewole said: “I am assuring Nigerians that there will be no strike. We have received the ultimatum, we have talked and will be meeting again on Monday.”
He said that with Nigeria’s sustained efforts and support from development partners, the spread of the wild polio-virus was halted and Nigeria was dropped off the infamous list of countries where the virus is still endemic.
The Minister also commended Nigeria’s capabilities of meeting the health needs of a greater proportion of her population and her ability to withstand challenges of epidemic like HIV, infectious disease outbreaks as demonstrated by her response to recent Ebola virus epidemic.
Quoting Wealth Health Organization recent report, he said that 24 per cent of illness related deaths in the country is caused by Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), with diabetes accounting for two per cent of that figure.
He said: “Diabetes is increasingly becoming an epidemic especially among adolescents and young adults, partly due to the rapid socio-cultural change being experienced, and the adoption of unhealthy lifestyles and risky behaviours”.
His ministry, he said, has mapped out six critical action areas to tackle the disease.
He said that the action areas included adoption of the global monitoring framework for NCDs, development of a National Diabetes Plan and Policy, increased monitoring and surveillance systems, engagement and rights, improved access to care and sustainable financing for management of diabetes.
The Minister also urged Nigerians to be actively involved in the campaign, stressing that people must learn to identify their risk factors and take steps to avoid them.
He said that some of the steps included maintaining a healthy weight, eating healthy, being physically active, avoiding harmful habit like alcohol intake and tobacco use.
He urged those already diagnosed with diabetes to follow up on doctor’s advice as well as be consistent with doctor’s appointment.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir David Lawal, warned that except Nigerians follow experts’ advice and adopt healthy lifestyle, the current adult population with the diabetes disease will increase.
According to him, diabetes is a disease that could be managed medically if detected early.
He said that it can also be avoided if Nigerians take adequate interest in what they eat. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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Apc isva party without any plan or agenda. Very clueless. I regret wasting my vote last election.
ReplyDeleteSomething should be done very fast to prevent this strike.
ReplyDelete