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The Federal Government on Monday went into a closed-door meeting with representatives of Joint Health Staff Union (JOHESU) to resolve issues that led to the ongoing strike in federal hospitals. Members of the union had embarked on an indefinite industrial action on Thursday Aug. 22. The meeting is being attending by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Wogu; Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu; and Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Bukar Aji, Others were representatives of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and JOHESU. Shortly before the meeting, Mr. Wogu told the media that he was optimistic that the meeting would end the strike which started on Thursday. He said the ministry would not fail in its reconciliatory and mediatory efforts aimed at ensuring that issues that led to the strike were resolved amicably. “I hope that the strike would be called off at the end of the meeting,” he said. On his part, Mr. Ch...

Nigeria appears headed for a grave health crisis as the nation’s hospitals face a severe shortage of qualified medical staff in key areas of specialisation, forcing thousands of patients abroad yearly. Those who are unable to afford travelling abroad are left to die or placed on queues that in some hospital last years. PREMIUM TIMES investigations reveal that with the country taking the negative lead in several global health indicators, health personnel who should help reverse the tide are in short supply across the country with training and recruitment increasingly ebbing. Currently, the country has only 600 paediatricians to care for its over 40 million children, compared to the United Kingdom’s over 5,000 for 20 million children. The figures are more depressing in other areas of medical specialisation. With the rising cases of cancer across the country, there are only a little above 15 oncologists; 10 neurosurgeons to attend to issues related to t...