The Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, has promised that the health sector will witness remarkable changes in 2014.
One of the targets is achieving a universal health coverage and Health Insurance Scheme for Nigerians.
Briefing journalists after the inauguration of a committee on the takeover of the Otuoke Cottage Hospital in Bayelsa State by the Federal Government, the Minister said that plans were on for the transfer of other state hospitals in the year 2014.
He commended the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, for giving room for dialogue and averting the planned industrial action.
Impending Strike
While the minister of health has his plans for the health sector in 2014, he may also have some industrial issues to deal with.
One of them is the impending 5-day warning strike being threatened by the Assembly of Healthcare Professionals and the Joint Health Sector Unions.
These bodies want the Federal Government to implement, among other things, the ruling by the National Industrial Court which grants that some cadre of health workers be legitimately allowed to skip Consolidated Health Salary Scale 10.
This is coming on a day when the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, which is the national body of medical doctors in the country would have commenced its earlier threatened strike to enforce the implementation of its own demands.