Nurses want FG to probe meningitis vaccines fraud

The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has called on the Federal Government to conduct proper investigation into alleged misappropriation of funds and vaccines meant for immunisation against meningitis.

Mr Adewale Olatunde, the National Chairman of Federal Health Institutions sector NANNM, made the demand on Tuesday April 25, 2017 in Abuja at the annual labour workshop of the association.

This year’s theme is: “The Nigerian nurse: A professional and a comrade’’.

Olatunde noted that there were initial complaints of non-availability of funds and vaccines, but eventually when vaccines were made available certain individuals diverted them thereby denying the populace access.

While describing such action as suicidal and a death sentence to the citizens, the chairman further attributed the death toll associated with the disease in some parts of the country to diversion and misappropriation of the resources.

Olatunde however sympathised with the families, people and government of states affected by the epidemic.

He expressed the commitment of the association in whistle blowing to unravel the menace and misappropriation of funds, drugs and commodities in health institutions, among others.

According to him, such effort will go a long way to revive the system and make it more efficient in service delivery and by instilling accountability.

He however said that their whistle blowing was not a witch-hunt, but for the betterment of Nigerians and rescue of the health sector.

Olatunde urged the EFFC and ICPC to beam their searchlight on the Federal Ministry of Health and its parastatal agencies and ensure appropriate sanctions are meted to those involved in the latest fraud.

He described Nigerians living for India and Ghana to access health as shameful, noting that the nation in 10 to 20 years ago was a hub for training for some of these African countries.

“It is a thing of shame when Nigerians live for India, Ghana for treatment; we have human resources and we are saying let match the human resource with the financial resource of government so that the country can become what is expected,’’ Olatunde said.

According to him, huge amount of fund is invested by international donor agencies to boost the nation’s health system but some individuals are diverting such funds, thereby worsening the system.

“Government is pumping so much money likewise donor agencies to assist us with our health challenges but no evidence to show and they are withdrawing their services.

“Why can’t we sit and discuss with them, most of the issues bother on accountability.

“We call on the government to intensify its justice on allegations of misappropriation of vaccines and funds meant for immunisation against meningitis.

“This, if true, is a crime against humanity.

“We ask that the anti-corruption agencies should beam their searchlight on the Federal Ministry of Health and its parastatals, so much money has gone down in these parastatals and why is there no commemorate output?

“International donor agencies are running away from Nigeria simply because we are not accountable to funds donated to us,’’ he said.

Olatunde said the workshop was aimed at equipping members of the association on the modern trends of trade unionism.

According to him, it is the association’s contribution toward ensuring that industrial peace reign in our various federal health institutions that have had its share of industrial crises lately.

“The theme is apt when the labour sector is daily confronted with myriads of challenges ranging from the inability of the minimum wage to effectively take the workers home again.

He said non-payment of approved workers entitlements, non-review of general and professional allowances to meet the economic reality of this present time, as well as the ever soaring increase in taxation of workers meagre wages, were some of the major challenge faced by workers.

“Disunity in the labour unions and palpable threat to the workers contributory scheme, among others, are other challenges bedevilling the Nigerian worker’’ Olatunde said.

(NAN)