By Chioma Obinna
Members of the House of  Representatives Committee on Health, have  appealed to the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, to shelve the proposed strike this week as government has promised to begin implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) this month.

However, the NARD has threatened to go on with its planned strike should the government fail to meet all demands noting  that payment of the CONMESS would not deter it.

The Health Committee members who made the appeal when the Minister of  Health,  Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, Minister of State, Alhaji Suleiman Bello and other top officials of the Ministry appeared before the committee last week in Abuja said Nigeria cannot afford further loss of precious lives as the consequence of doctors’ strike.

The Committee said there is need for an all-encompassing solution to the constant agitation for better conditions of service by health workers and pledged to work with the Federal Ministry of Health to improve the health indices of the country by accelerating the passage of the National Health Bill through the House.

Chukwu who hinted the members on the activities of the Ministry since he assumed duties on the 27th of April, 2010 explained that he was mindful of the short period his team has to deliver on the promises made to Nigerians. He said continuity and teamwork are just two of the strategies his team has decided to adopt in order to fast track achievements.

“We are aware that there are some low-hanging fruits in the health sector that we can harvest for the benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians”.  He said one other priority area his team would like to focus on is the encouragement of indigenous drug manufacturing firms to produce world-class drugs to rival imported ones.

Chukwu also spoke on efforts to upgrade six tertiary hospitals across the six geopolitical zone to world class standards to enable the hospitals function with maximum efficiency and appealed to the Committee to give legislative backing to the Tertiary Hospital Commission.

Responding on behalf of the Members of the House Committee on Healt, the Chairman, Hon. Alaba Ojomu, directed the Ministry to look into the funding, equipment and training of relevant personnel for Health Outreach Centres located in the rural areas. set up a high – powered stakeholders committee with a clear mandate to look into the full ramifications of the residency training programme with specific emphasis on the issues raised by the association.