Business
LUTH Nurses Begin Indefinite Strike
Nurses and Midwives at
the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, had on Friday, began an indefinite strike to press home their demands.
The nurses and midwives under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) are protesting what they called stagnation, non-payment of salary and inadequate facilities.
The State Chairman of NANNM, Mr Olurotimi Awojide, told our correspondent in Lagos that the association had given the management a seven-day ultimatum which expired on June 9.
Other demands are outstanding 2015 promotion results of 71 nurses, non-payment of nurses employed in 2015, lack of consumables, inadequate manpower and irregular water and power supply.
“We have been having series of problems with LUTH management for a while now which we have made effort to resolve but all to no avail.
“We have written several letters to them on pressing issues, they are not responding and that is why we are taking this action.
“For quite some time now, nurses work at night without light, leaving them with no choice of using torchlight and phones to attend to patients.
“This is a teaching hospital and infection control should be our priority and when there are no consumables, water, people improvise to attend to patients, ’’he said.
The Chairman of NANNM, LUTH chapter, Mrs Oluyemisi Adelaja, said inadequate equipment had affected the nurses’ care for patients in the hospital.
Adelaja said the strike was meant to call on the management and the Federal Ministry of Health to apply the same measures in LUTH as being done in other 52 federal health institutions.
“We want them to do the needful by giving our members their promotion as and when due and applying the same measures being applied to other health institutions to us.
“Because we are under the same Federal Ministry of Health and the same equity and justice should be extended to LUTH nurses.’’
Contacted, the Public Relations Officer of LUTH, Mr Kelechi Otuneme, told our correspondent that the management had not reacted yet on the development.
The Tide revealed that few nurses were seen attending to some patients, while others joined the protest.
Meanwhile, the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital Branch of the Association of Resident Doctors has embarked on an indefinite strike over “incomplete salaries’’.
The President of the association, Dr Christian Adeneye, made the announcement in an interview with journalists in Uyo on Friday.
Adeneye explained that resident doctors in the hospital had been receiving incomplete salaries since 2014, saying that all efforts to make government see reason on the mater had failed.
“We are embarking on an indefinite strike from today. The problem is about the incomplete salaries that we have been receiving for two years now.
“We have been negotiating with the Federal Government but there is insincerity on the part of government.
“We have been mandated nationally. All centres that are yet to comply with the implementation of the payment of our full salaries should embark on an indefinite strike.”
He said that the strike had not been postponed as was speculated by a section of the media.
The unionist confirmed, however, that there was a meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara, where it was agreed that medical centres that were already enjoying full salaries should not join the strike.
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