The federal government has started taking steps to stop doctors in public service from engaging in private practice.

Isaac Adewole, minister of health, disclosed this to state house correspondents at the end of the federal executive council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday.

Adewole said a technical committee had been set up to look at the Yayale Ahmed report on the health sector.

The report was the outcome of a panel set up by former President Goodluck Jonathan to look into “unhealthy rivalries” among healthcare professionals.

While submitting the report, Ahmed, a former head of the service of the federation,  had said the panel identified 50 areas of conflict after receiving memoranda and interacting with about 40 professional bodies in the public health sector.

He said the areas of conflict were broadly categorised into organisational management, leadership and teamwork, remuneration and motivation, career management, capacity building, professional practice, labour, legal and governance issues.

The government has been having a running battle with health workers, the last being the strike action by the National Association Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU).

Adewole also asked Nigerians not to panic over the monkeypox outbreak, advising them to maintain a high level of hygiene and report all suspected cases to health affiliates.

He said emergency operations centres had been activated to coordinate response to suspected monkeypox cases.

More to follow…