From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has restated his administration’s commitment to l revive and restore public confidence in the health sector in Nigeria.
According to a statement issued by the Director of Information, State House, Abuja, Abiodun Oladunjoye, the President made the commitment on Monday in his office during an audience with leaders of the Joint Health Sector Union, an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress.
He stressed on the importance of the health sector and professionals in the sector as one of commitment to humanity, promising to resolve all identified problems plaguing the system for optimum performance.
The President while urging the striking union to return to work, said: “The health sector is one sector with a commitment to humanity. We will resolve all the problems. Trust must be enshrined in all discussions. I promise you we will accelerate this. We will resolve all the issues. Please go back to work.”
The Acting Chairman, Dr Obinna Ogbonna, while expressing the readiness of the union to get its members back to work, pleaded with the President to pay attention to the healthcare delivery system in Nigeria through adequate investment in healthcare infrastructure and better welfare for workers in the sector to stop the brain drain.
“Mr President, now that we have assurance from the top, we are encouraged to go back and talk to our members with a view to going back to work.”
A member of the Executive Council of the Union, Olumide Akintayo, who accompanied the Acting Chairman to the meeting urged the Federal Government to always respond to Labour issues and nip them in the bud before they become full-blown industrial crises.