The National Conference, in a bid to reduce
the current negative impact of medical tourism on the image and integrity of
Nigeria and her healthcare system, has set strict procedures that must be
observed by public officers seeking medical treatment outside Nigeria.
Consequently, it resolved that henceforth,
there should be restriction of government sponsorship of public officers for
foreign medical care; and that unless for exceptional cases that require
referral abroad, all public officers should mandatorily utilize local health
facilities.
These exceptional cases, it said, must be screened by a medical board made up
of appropriate medical and healthcare professionals.
In addition, the recommendations of the
board should be subject to the approval of the Minister of Health who is the
chief medical adviser to the Federal Government; except where such exceptional
cases are serious emergencies, in which instant approval may be given.
Conference however expressed the need for
improvement in the quality of healthcare services in Nigeria; a deliberate
effort to refocus the attitude of healthcare workers to patients in Nigeria;
and improved political commitment to health by political office holders.
These resolutions were arrived at after
heated debates on the report of the Committee on the Social Sector presented by
the Committee Chairman, Iyom Josephine Anenih, supported by the deputy
chairman, Professor Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufai, the former Minister of Education.
It was also resolved that free-healthcare be
established for children aged 0-5 years; senior citizens from the age of 65
years; persons living with disability or the physically challenged persons; free
maternal services and free school health programmes.
After another round of heated debate by the delegates, Conference resolved that
government and owners of mission/private schools should dialogue to facilitate
the handover of all mission and private schools to their original owners.
In returning the schools, it was agreed that
owners must ensure that they are affordable and able to serve wider variety of
the public as it were in the original concept of the mission schools.
It recommended that there should be
regulation of fees charged by the schools; the schools should provide
assistance to the local community through scholarships and other services; and
that children from other denominations should not be marginalized in the
admission process.
Conference agreed that staff of such schools
should have the option of remaining with the institution or being absorbed into
government service in the case of the return of the mission and private schools
to their original owners.
Still on schools, it was unanimously decided
that government should convert all Almajiri schools to normal schools and
integrate Quranic education curriculum to absorb the millions of out of school
children.
Government was also asked to provide free
basic education with free uniforms, books and midday meals for all children
from primary one to junior secondary three.
It was also resolved that government should
build additional Almajiri Schools to bring them up to 400 as originally planned
while a 10 year plan of sustained implementation should be put in place with a
view to providing access to all children.
On pension, Conference said the 2004 Pension
Act should be amended so that payment of pension to beneficiaries would
continue throughout their lifetime instead of the current practice where
payment is only made to people between 15 and 18 years post-retirement.
Delegates agreed on the urgent need to amend
the 2004 Pension Act to include a provision to hold the pension commission
responsible and also prescribe penalties.
It was accepted that salary reviews should
be reflected in calculating benefits across the board, particularly in
reference to long-time retirees; salary increases should automatically affect
retirees in both the old and new pension systems.
To ensure full coverage of citizens,
Conference said pension fund administrators and the national pension commission
should be obliged to begin a comprehensive programme of registering the
informal sector workers under the 2004 Pensions Act.
Conference also unanimously decided that a
social security policy be put in practice to cater for the well being of the
elderly in addition to the pension policy.
Proceedings at the Conference however came
to a halt for about 15 minutes as female delegates and some male delegates took
the floor to protest attempts by other delegates to vote against the
application of the affirmative action demanding that 35% of elective offices at
all levels be given reserved for women.
As soon as delegates voted to reduce the
percentage from 35% to 30%, all the women in the hall including some men stood
up, started singing and threatened a walk-out if the decision was not reversed.
When the hall was eventually called to
order, some of the male delegates including former Speaker of the House of
Representatives, Ghali Umar Na’Abba, spoke in favour of 35%. They stated that
the matter was already an existing government policy.
At this point, it was unanimously decided
that since the practice was already in existence and on-going, it should be
allowed to remain. Instantly, some female delegates started asking for increase
to 40%.
Conference also decided that the Federal
Government should put into effective use, the National Policy on Women adopted
in 2004 which was replaced with the National Gender Policy in 2006.
Government was also asked to draft for
passage and implementation, a Bill on the Abolition of all Forms of
Discrimination against Women in Nigeria to address the issue of discrimination
and violence against women and maltreatment of widows
Delegates adopted a recommendation that
government should legislate to prohibit installation of telecommunication mast
in residential neighbourhoods and to prohibit other practices that negatively
impact on health including female genital mutilation.
SIGNED
AKPANDEM JAMES
ASSISTANT SECRETARY, MEDIA AND COMMUNICATION
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