The Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) in union with the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Association (AHPA) has called for a waiver policy in the payment of electricity bills to cover federal health institutions (FHIs), research institutes, and citadel of learning in Nigeria.
In a letter addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, through the coordinating minister of health and social welfare, JOHESU stated that the proposed waiver policy on electricity bills might be channeled through subsidy gaps approved by the Federal Government or similar benefit package in the ultimate public interest considering the fact that health and education are social services which must be prioritised by government.
The letter titled ‘Addressing the Power Needs of the FHIs, Research Institutes and Citadels of Learning in Nigeria,’ was jointly signed by JOHESU’s National Chairman, Dr. Kabiru Ado Minjibir and the National Secretary of the association, Comrade Martin Egbanubi.
Giving the background to the call, JOHESU’ national chairman and its national secretary noted that recent experience of the FHIs, ivory towers and research institutes which have been disconnected by the DISCOS in various locations in the country because of their inability to pay electricity bills in their various facilities have assumed a most worrisome dimension.
The letter reads in part, “It is the reality and norm that hospitals which stock drugs and other radiopharmaceuticals, laboratory reagents, consumables, mortuary facilities and so on definitely require constant power supply to maintain the potency of these sensitive health commodities.
“Consumers who access healthcare definitely need power supply for the wide range of surgical and diagnostic services including x-ray, CT Scans and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to sustain essential services.
“The scenarios highlighted above are similar to expectations in research institutes especially in the health sector which must power their plethora of laboratory facilities which indulge in drug formulations and discovery, research into clinical disease states, food production, quality control and assurance as well as a wide range of other detailed research.
“It is the same experience in our universities and other higher institutions that are hamstrung with power challenges at a time research efforts are supposed to be geared towards national development growth, reintegration and consolidation in the few areas we ever got it right.
“This is apart from the fact that all the FHIs, ivory towers and research institutes have students directly affiliated to them. It is against these background that JOHESU in union with AHPA are therefore calling for the waiver policy in the payment of electricity bills to cover the above listed health facilities and other institutions.
JOHESU in union with AHPA is the umbrella template of four major health sector unions including Medical and Health Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MHWUN); Senior Staff Association of Universities, Teaching Hospitals, Research Institutes and Associated Institutes (SSAUTHRIAI); Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP); and Non Academic Staff Union of Education and Associated Institutions (NASU).