Business
Strike: Lagos Hospitals Doctors Offer Emergency Services
Skeletal activities were
within the week being rendered in both the Federal and Lagos State Government-owned hospitals in Lagos as the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) embarked on sympathy strike with their colleagues.
The Tide reports that the NMA in Lagos State chapter had directed its members in the Federal Government-owned hospitals to join the sympathy strike.
The doctors in the employment of the state government had on March 16 embarked on an indefinite strike over the refusal of the state government to accede to their demands.
The issues in contention include the continued employment of doctors as casual workers and non-employment of resident doctors in the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja.
Other issues were the alleged non-payment of their salary arrears for May, 2012, and July, August and September, 2014 due to the “No Work, No Pay’’ policy of the state government.
The NMA Chairman in Lagos State, Dr Tope Ojo, last Monday directed his members in both the federal and state government-owned hospitals to run only emergency services during the sympathy strike.
Our correspondent’s visit to LASUTH, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba and Federal Neuro-Psychiatry Hospital, Yaba, showed that the doctors were only attending to emergency cases.
Other health personnel including nurses, pharmacists and laboratory scientists were seen attending to the few patients on admission and in the out-patient unit.
The Tide reports that normal activities were going on at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi and Gbagada General Hospital as the doctors were seen on duty attending to patients.
Mrs Nike Ayo, the Public Relations Officer, National Orthopedic Hospital, said that doctors under the aegis of Association of Resident Doctors had written to the hospital’s management on the strike.
According to her, the resident doctors had notified the hospital authorities about the directive of the union to proceed on indefinite strike in support of their counterparts in the state.
The NMA Publicity Secretary, Dr Ibrahim Ogunbi, also told our source that doctors were only on ground to render emergency services.
Ogunbi said that doctors were passionate about their patients and would ensure that they get medical attention in spite of the strike.
He said that the national body of the association might be involved in the strike if the state government refused to accede to the doctors’ demands.
“Lagos State Government has remained unresponsive and has decided not to care for the people. NMA has joined the strike, but we are also providing emergency services.
“If the Lagos State Government does not do the needful, it may be a national issue,” he said.
Also speaking, Dr Sa’eid Ahmad, the President, Association of Resident Doctors, LASUTH Chapter, urged the public to appreciate the doctors who make sacrifices to ensure that they were attended to.
Ahmad said: “The objective of this industrial action is not to punish the citizens or watch people dying.
“We are still offering emergency services and as for those patients that have been on admission before the commencement of the action, we are still attending to all of them until they get well and are discharged.’’
He said that there had been no progress on all the doctors’ discussions with the state government in spite of the interventions by both the national and state chapter of NMA.
Dr Wale Oke, LASUTH Chief Medical Director, said the hospital’s management would ensure that patients that need medical attention are attended to.
“We will attend to patients only on emergencies as the doctors have provided services for emergencies,’’ he said.
Dr Raman Lawal, the Chief Medical Director, Psychiatry Hospital, Yaba, also said: ”I cannot make any comments about the strike. “But, the doctors are attending to the patients available and those in the wards are also being taken care of.”
MoniePoint Inc. a digital financial firm in Nigeria, has said it is empowering community pharmacists across the country with innovative payment solutions to improve access to drugs.
The financial firm said it had also provided loans for pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to drive healthcare delivery in the country.
MoniePoint in a release titled, “Inside Nigeria’s community pharmacies: How Moniepoint drives healthcare access with payments and funding”, has reaffirmed its commitment to providing digital payment solutions to improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
The release examined how community pharmacies play a crucial role as vital access points for medical care in Nigeria, especially in areas with limited hospital or clinic access.
According to the release, the ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Igwekwam, highlighted the critical role played by community pharmacies in Nigeria’s healthcare system over the years.
Igwekwam, however, expressed concerns over the challenges confronting the nation’s pharmaceutical industry which he said was hindering access to affordable medicines.
The pharmacist listed poor infrastructural systems, power, transportation, regulatory bottlenecks, importation dependency, and limited research opportunities as major challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector.
He also stressed the need for robust collaborative efforts with institutions like Moniepoint to strengthen the sector.
“As Nigeria continues to grow, improving local pharma manufacturing to meet the demands of this growth presents a key opportunity for us all.
“There is also the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which is expected to boost our industry, especially when we start producing our drugs locally, which will provide the much needed foreign exchange from exports.
“We are also seeing advancements in digital health and technology which would hopefully deepen the practice of e-prescription in Nigeria”, the ACPN boss said.
Corlins Walter
In order to enhance customer service and streamline operations, the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has called on stakeholders in the insurance industry to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The President of the institute, Yetunde Ilori, made this call at the 2024 Office Representatives Committee (ORC) Workshop, organised by the institute, with the theme “AI and the Future of the Insurance Industry”, in Lagos.
Ilori at the event, emphasised the importance of AI adoption, noting that it was not a threat to jobs but rather a tool to improve efficiency across the insurance sector.
“It is not about AI taking over our jobs, but about us using AI to simplify processes and give maximum satisfaction to all the customers we serve whether as underwriters, brokers, loss adjusters, or in educating our members”, she said.
The workshop, which brought players in the insurance sector together, aimed to address how AI could be leveraged to transform business processes and improve customer interactions.
The Chairman of the ORC, Monica Nwachukwu, underscored the role of AI in modernising the industry, adding, “AI can automate customer and claims processes, allowing insurers to provide faster and more efficient services to their customers”.
She explained how AI could help extract data from legacy systems, enhancing decision-making processes.
“By integrating AI with APIs, insurers can feed valuable data into AI solutions to improve operations and customer service”, she added.
In his address, the Managing Partner of A4S and Training Heights, Orlando Odejide, stressed the need for companies to align their strategies with future technologies like AI, especially as they prepare for 2025.
“Any organisation that wants to grow into the future must have its strategic plan in place. If your strategy for 2025 is not ready, it should be done by October”, he advised.
He encouraged participants to think critically about how AI could be integrated into their business models to ensure they remain competitive.
“The idea is for you to use this workshop as a platform to think about your organization and how AI can help streamline your processes and improve growth”, Odejide noted.
In order to gain global respect and recognition, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has reaffirmed its determination to pursue its goal in ensuring that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global space economy.
In a statement by the Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Felix Ale, NASRDA revealed that the Director-General of the agency, Matthew Adepoju, emphasised this during recent engagements at the 79th United Nations General Assembly and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Global Alliance Business Association international conference in Michigan, United States.
The statement noted that Adepoju outlined a forward-thinking agenda, stressing the importance of Nigeria’s space programme as a leader in research, exploration, and technological innovation.
“Our goal is to ensure that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
“We must foster collaborations with global space agencies to enhance our satellite capabilities and technological infrastructure”, he stated.
The NASRDA boss said the agency is focusing on enhancing satellite capabilities, expanding international collaborations, and leveraging space science for national development.
He said NASRDA will have no stone unturned in pursuit of excellence, ensuring the agency secures the necessary resources and recognition to propel it forward.
“The relationships we build today will pave the way for tomorrow’s advancements in space science.
“Innovation and progress thrive in an environment built on collaboration and inclusivity”, he stated.
He emphasised that with the support of the government, international partners, and a dedicated team, NASRDA is poised to make significant strides in the evolving global space landscape.
“We are on the brink of a new era for Nigeria’s space agency. Together, we will ensure our nation stands out in the global space economy”, he said.
Corlins Walter