President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the removal of Chief Executives of five major parastatals in the nation’s health sector.
They include the Director-General of Nigerian Centre for Disease
Control, Prof. Abdulsalami Nasidi; Director-General of National Agency
for the Control of Aids, Prof. John Idoko; and Chief Executive of
Nigerian Institute for Medical Research, Prof. Innocent Ujah.
The Executive Director of National Primary Healthcare Development
Agency, Dr. Ado Muhammad; and acting Executive Secretary of National
Health Insurance Scheme, Mr. Olufemi Akingbade.
They were replaced by Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu (NCDC); Dr. Sani Aliyu
(NACA); Prof. Babatunde Salako (NIOMR); Prof. Echezona Ezeanolue
(NPHCDA); and Prof. Usman Yusuf (NHIS).
According to the statement Ihekweazu is the Managing Partner of
EpiAfric, a public health consultancy firm that focuses on Africa, while
Aliyu is a Consultant in Microbiology and Infectious Diseases at
Cambridge University, United Kingdom.
Salako is the Provost of the College of Medicine at the University of
Ibadan; Ezemolue is a Professor of Paediatrics and Public Health at the
University of Nevada, Las Vegas, USA; while Yusuf is a Professor of
Paediatrics at St. Jude Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, US.
No reason was given for their removal in the statement issued by the
Director of Press and Public Relations in Office of the Secretary to the
Government of the Federation, Mr. Bolaji Adebiyi.
Sources, however, said it may be connected to allegation by foreign
donor agencies that funds were being diverted, particularly in the
Federal Ministry of Health.
The Minister of Health Prof. Isaac Adewole, however, said affected agency heads had not been sacked but “replaced.”
“They have not been sacked, they have been replaced. So, you can
quote me that government has decided to replace them, but they have not
been sacked. They are five of them,” he said.
When asked what must have prompted the move and whether the decision
had anything do with the report of Global Fund and Global Alliance for
Vaccine Initiative, Adewole said it was part of the government’s change
mantra
He said, “I believe it is part of the desire for change and to bring
on board new blood. As you may be aware, some of them have been there
for about seven years. And this administration has been in office for
one year. I am saying there is the need to bring on board new blood and
that is the agenda of the government.
“Well, I wouldn’t know if it has any links with the reports and
indictments. It is only Mr. President that can confirm that. But I am
sure that the President must have taken many things into consideration
before approving the new changes.”
The Health Ministry and some of its agencies and departments have
been accused by GAVI of diverting funds meant for the fight against
HIV/AIDS and malaria.
Also, GAVI in its report of 2014 accused Nigeria of mismanaging immunisation fund.
Source:The Punch
Source:The Punch
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