Nigeria absence shines at health ministers meet in Geneva
By Judd-Leonard Okafor, Geneva | Publish Date: May 21 2018 5:12PM

Nigeria lost two spots to speak at the ongoing 71st World Health Assembly in Geneva in two straight days—a loss blamed on the ongoing strike by health workers.
Health minister Isaac Adewole was listed, alongside Sanchia Aranda, president of the Union for International Cancer Control, to co-chair on Saturday a session on cervical cancer as a noncommunicable disease that could be overcome.
The session was to entertain questions around challenges, needs and ideas on comprehensive cervical cancer strategies spanning health promotion; screening for and vaccination against human papilloma virus; treatment of pre-cancerous lesions, access to diagnosis, treatment and palliative care.
The session, in the run-up to the global meeting of health ministers, was also meant to have partner agencies answer questions from health ministries about financial and technical support.
But Adewole was not available to attend, as slated on the bill, and was replaced by Rwandan health minister David Parirenyatua, who’s held the portfolio since 2013, and previously from 2002 to 2009.
On Monday, he was elected president of the 71st World Health Assembly as health ministers met, with Nigeria’s health minister still absent.
A lone delegate from Nigeria attended a Sunday evening event with indication Adewole would be replaced by minister of state for health Osagie Ehanire.
The second missed opportunity came at the launch of a report on sexual and reproductive health and rights by the Lancet and Guttmacher Institute, hours after the World Health Assembly started Monday morning.
Adewole had been billed to speak on providing country perspective on political leadership and priorities for sexual and reproductive health and rights, alongside global health ambassadors from Sweden and France.
He was declared absent and “not in Geneva” and his spot unfilled.
Daily Trust has learnt Adewole was advised to back down last minute from the trip, considering the ongoing strike by Joint Health Sector Unions, which has kept all health workers apart from doctors out of federal hospitals.
As the strike spread to secondary hospitals run by state governments, it was thought the presence of the minister in Geneva would come under criticism as a disregard of the ongoing strike.
Source: https://www.dailytrust.com.ng/nigeria-absence-shines-at-health-ministers-meet-in-geneva-251676.html

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