NAN-HG-12
Allocation
By Oluwakemi Oladipo
Lagos, Nov. 29, 2016 (NAN) The Senior Staff Association of University Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutions (SSAUTHRIAI), Lagos State chapter has urged the Federal Government to increase budgetary allocation to the health sector.
Mr Olawale Ogundipe, the Chairman of SAUTHRIAI in Lagos State, spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.
Ogundipe said, “This will ensure that a more efficient and effective healthcare service was made available to Nigerians.
“The budgetary allocation to health sector should be increased to a minimum of 15 per cent as recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“We also observed that allocation to the health sector is grossly inadequate to the extent that the necessity of overhead to maintain services can no longer be fulfilled.
“A health financing mechanism which should provide for sufficient financial provision similar to the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) is recommended to cater for the teaching hospitals.’’
He also urged the government to release necessary circulars on the adjusted Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS).
The chairman of SAUTHRIAI said, “We are also calling for the release of documents on the 65 years retirement age.
“The union observes that the non-payment of arrears of promotion and other allowances is as a result of the cut down in the budgetary proposals made by these institutions.
“The Federal Government should urgently release supplementary budget to ensure the payment of all outstanding arrears to reduce the sufferings of the workers.
“The management system should be re- invigorated for improved healthcare delivery to our clients.’’
He said that a situation where the retirees were not paid their benefits more than one year after their disengagement from service was unacceptable.
The SAUTHRIAI chairman called on the Federal Government and various government establishments to promptly remit their fund to the retirement savings. (NAN)
OKG/VIV/GOK
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Edited by Vivian Ihechu/Olagoke Olatoye