Reps blame abuse of IPPIS for health workers strike

The House of Representatives Committee on Health Care Services has blamed the abuse of the Integrated Payment and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) for the strike action embarked upon by resident doctors in the country.

The committee led by Mr. Tanko Sununu particularly blamed fraudulent civil servants and operators of IPPIS who allegedly indulge in fraudulent activities for the crisis in the health sector.

The lawmakers stated this yesterday while meeting with stakeholders in the health sector to deliberate on ways of resolving industrial disputes between government and resident doctors who are currently on strike.

The commenced with the lawmakers fuming over the embarrassment the strike has caused the government, blaming the situation on alleged ineptitude of the leadership of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and manipulation of the IPPIS.

The lawmakers took turns to grill the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Abdulaziz Mashi Abdullahi; the MDCN Registrar, Dr. Tajudeen Sanusi, and representatives of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

They all expressed disdain at what they described as “national embarrassment” caused by the greed of some people in the MDAs who have formed a syndicate to manipulate the IPPIS and defraud the government.

Members such as Hon. Benjamin Kalu, Samuel Adejare, who is the Deputy chairman, and Haruna Msheliya all lamented the embarrassment the situation has caused the government of the day.

Adejare said it was unacceptable for the IPPIS, which the government spent so much to put in place to eliminate corruption, to fail.

Kalu said the numerous “transaction errors” recorded by the system as noted in the documents presented were mere internal administrative issues that should have been resolved immediately to avoid the strike.

Msheliya on his part said the development was nothing but the handiwork of a syndicate within the MDAs.