Chitika

Saturday 23 August 2014

FG To Privatise 6 Public Hospitals

The federal government says it has selected six public hospitals that it wants to cue into its public-private partnership (PPP) programme.

The minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu stated this yesterday when a delegation of the General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria and the Guild of Medical Directors visited him in Abuja.

He said, “For now, the government has mapped six hospitals where it wants to do PPP, so we want to encourage you to key into this.”

Chukwu said that there are areas where the government would continue to provide services in the hospitals but hopes that the private sector would key into it. ‘Now more than ever, the federal government’s policies are encouraging private sector investment.

The minister used the occasion to appreciate all medical personnel working in the private sector saying, ‘We want to appreciate you for insuring the health of Nigerians ever since the doctors in public hospitals have being on strike.”

He said that hopefully, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) will call-off their strike soon.

‘We mourn all Nigerians who have lost their lives to Ebola Virus Disease and indeed, one of your own, Dr Stella Adadevoh. Her bravery and courage will not go unnoticed. Very soon, I can assure you, the appropriate thing will be done to immortalise her memory,” the minister said.

Responding, the national president of Association of General and Private Practitioners, Dr Frank Odafen said, “The only problem we have had is that government policies have not really embraced private practitioners.”

Odafen said the government has not equipped them in the current fight against Ebola Virus Disease in terms of ‘armoury of war’.

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