University College Hospital

The Minister of Health has been advised  to ensure the renovation and rehabilitation of obsolete and moribund health facilities in government-owned hospitals  across the country.

This advice was given by a member of the National Executive Council(NEC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union and Associated Institutions(NASU), who doubles as the  branch chairman of the union at the  University College Hospital(UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria, Comrade Kehinde Abiona.

''The Minister of Health needs to look inwards and ensure that the moribund facilities that are the health sector are revived. Since the President Olusegun Obasanjo administration carried out the only major facility upgrade  in 2005, nothing has been done by successive administrations. It is almost about two decades since the major overhaul has been done.''

Comrade Abiona also called on the Minister to ignore  the agitation for the privatization  of government-owned hospitals saying, ''such agitation will not allow him to end up well.''

The NASU chairman maintained that the Minister should  remain  neutral in the affairs of the health sector workers, adding, ''he should not be a Minister of  Medical Doctors, but the Minister of all.''

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The Non-Academic Staff Union and Associated Institutions(NASU) has accused some members of the the management team of University College Hospital of deliberately facilitating the postponement of the union's elections.

The NASU made this accusation through its chairman Comrade Kehinde Abiona. ''Some elements in the management of the hospital had a hand in the postponement of the union's elections. We were supposed to have the delegates/departmental election on Wednesday 2nd August and the major elections on Thursday 3rd August, but the Chief Security Officer of the hospital met me and told me that the management had decided to put the elections on hold. Comrade Abiona picked holes in the letter written to the union by the management saying''there are a number of actions that have been taken without the knowledge of the Chief Medical Director.'' ''Heads of Departments do not have any role to play in the election of delegates in the departments. The majority of the HODs are not members of our union. They do not have any role to pay in the electoral process. Since they are not members, they should not influence the electoral process. The management directed that elections should be put on hold until further notice to allow for the implementation of the report of the technical committee established to look into the immediate and remote causes of the union's March 15 elections that were disrupted,'' Comrade Abiona stated.

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Workers in several states in Nigeria have expressed worries over the unresolved issues surrounding the national minimum wage, contributory pension scheme and other related challenges.
Their worries are further heigthened by the prolonged slience of labor leaders in the face of increasing challenges confronting workers in the affected states as a result of the unresolved issues.
Sadly, some labor unions benefited  financially from state governments and politically exposed people in the just concluded general elections in exchange for electoral support.
In a related development, the chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union and Associated Institutions(NASU), University College Hospital(UCH) branch, Ibadan, Nigeria, Comrade Kehinde Abiona has called on the members of the union to remain calm as the union awaits a new date for elections from its national headquarters.
''Presently, the branch is waiting for the directive of the national headquarters of the union on the new date for elections. I implore our members to be law abiding and continue to give us their individual loyalty and we promise to continue to stand in the gap between members and management anytime and any day. The union has waxed stronger since the procedure to elect new branch leaders was disrupted. The sitting executives are yet to be dissolved. The Abiona-led executive is still in charge of the branch.''

Meanwhile, the UCH branch of the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals(NUAHP) has insisted that the Oladayo Olabampe-led executives believe in the sacredness of transparency and accountability.
This position was made known on behalf of the union by its Public Relation Officer, Dr. Daniel Adejobi.
''This administration runs an open administration.''
The union's insistence is coming on the heels of allegations levelled against the branch executives by some members(names not mentioned to avoid victimization).
The allegations are hinged on corruption, high-handedness, lack of accountability and insensitivity.
However, Dr. Adejobi maintained that his response to the allegations would only come when the identities of the members are verified.
''I have to verify that the allegations are coming from the right quarters. I will need to have proof that the allegations are coming from my members  before I respond. It may be concocted. On a general note, none of the allegations are true, except if you have proof of the members that made the allegations,'' he stated.

Concerned members of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions(NASU), University College Hospital(UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria on Thursday organized the maiden edition of the Manifesto for contestants for the 2023 NASU UCH elections.
In her opening remarks, the chairperson of the organizing committee, Miss Winifred Agogo stressed that the elections were very important to NASU members, adding''we must elect executives with integrity, who are reliable, transparent and with foresight, who will enable all staff to reach the peak of their careers regardless of ethnicity, tribe and religion.''
Miss Agogo also noted that the mianfesto was the first of its kind in the history of the branch and UCH in general.
In his remarks, the branch chairman of the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals(NUAHP), who doubles as the chairman of the union in the state, Mr. Oladayo Alabampe admonished the contestants to be fully prepared for the task ahead, saying '' the elections should be seen as a game and not a war. If it goes your way, that means they want you, if it does not go your way, they don't want you.''
For the chairman of NASU in the state, Mr. Adepeju, '' the pillar of unity should not be broken after the elections.''
Contestants present at the program include Mrs. Omolara Ajenifuja, Mr. Oluwaseun Asogobon and Mr. Kehinde Abiona, incumbent treasurer, secretary, and chairman respectively, while other contestants stayed away.
A major source of concern for the NASU and other unions revolves around the contributory pension scheme.

Members of the Non-Academic Staff and Associated Institutions Union(NASU) Ibadan, Nigria will, on Wednesday 15 March, 2023 elect new executives to steer the affairs of the union for the next four years.

The incumbent executives referred to as the United Transformation team, led by Comrde Kehind Abiona are seeking re-election.

The present branch secretary is Comrader Oluwaseun Asogbon while Comrade Omolara Ajenifuja is the Treasurer.

For the Progressive team, Comrade Adekunle Adegboye is the candidate for the chairmanship position, Comrade Olapeju Falow for Secretary and Olabisi Akpuko for Treasurer.

In his remarks, the incumbent chairman, Comrade Kehinde Abiona stated that the present NASU executive has performed creditably well, saying, '' we made a four point agenda and we were able to fulfill our promises within the first six months of our administration and we have done more.We have moved the union from where it was to an enviable position.''

The Comrade Adegboye-led Progressive team intends to implement an 8-point agenda if elected. The team intends to organize regular congresses to address workplace related issues, facilitate promotion and conversion for members, continuously engage and negotiate with management and empower female members and widows among others.

The Health System in Nigeria has passed through a lot of challenging times.

 This assertion was made on Tuesday at the opening ceremony of the Physicians' Week of the Oyo state branch of the Nigeria Medical Association(NMA) with theme, ''Nigeria's Health Care Delivery System and the 2023 Democratic Transition : A Time to Change the Narrative by the Chief Medical Director of the University College Hospital(UCH) Ibadan, Nigeria, Prof. Abiodun Otegbayo.

''The Nigeria health system has suffered a lot, this is a backward change. This year's budget gave the health sector an encouraging allocation; over a trillion Naira.

The Government of the day and others should manage the budget for the health sector. I just pray that the health system would not collapse. I urge all of you o use your influential positions to help us in the health system,'' Prof. Otegbayo stated.

In his presentation on the theme of the week, the Vice Chancellor of the Olabisi Onabanjo University(OOU)Ago-Iwoye, Oun state, Prof. Ayodeji Agboola Johnson expressed hopes that the narrative in the country would change.

''In the course of 20 years, we are still talking of changing the narrative. Hopefully the narrative will change. Nigeria's political structure affects every aspect of our daily need. State governments should allocate 10 per cent of their budget to the health sector. We are in a civilian rule not democratic governance today. The government at all levels must be proactive,'' Prof. Johnson concluded.

The University College Hospital (UCH) has declared that since the Oyo state Government did not pay any money into its  Treasury Single Account(TSA) no money was received by the hospital.

The UCH made this declaration last Saturday, through its  Public Relations Officer, Mr. Toye Akinirinola(PRO)during a radio program monitored in Ibadan, Nigeria.

''If you are paying any money to the UCH, you have to pay into the UCH TS Account and send us a financial pay advisory. Since this has not been done by the Oyo state Government, the state Government should not say it has given the UCH  any money.''

''We still  insist that we  have not collected  any money from the Oyo State Government. There are no contradictions about this. On the N118  million, the UCH  in anyway, should not be connected. We must take every step to make sure that the UCH is not roped in. We received 250 pieces of Protective Equipment valued at N800,00. The Oyo  State Government said that we should do a shopping list  for them, but as I speak, it is only 250 pieces  of Protective  Equipment they have given to us,'' Mr. Akinrinola disclosed.