Doctors begin indefinite strike July 1 ---NMA President
(Nigeria) The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA on Monday
announced plan to embark on an indefinite strike, starting from Tuesday, July
1.
The NMA President, Dr Kayode Obembe, who made the
announcement at a news conference in Abuja, said that the decision followed the
expiration of a two-week ultimatum it gave the Federal Government to meet its
24-point demand.
Obembe, said the opted for a ``total and indefinite strike''
at an emergency delegates meeting held on June 28, after negotiations with the
federal government failed to yield relevant results.
``The NMA is taking this painful route because our silence
and gentle approach to these contending issues have been taken for granted. We
have to take this action in order to save the health care delivery system from
anarchy that is palpably imminent.''
He appealed for understanding, and called on Nigerians to
prevail on the government to meet the demands.
The NMA president read out an open letter addressed to the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation in which the association listed
the 24 ssues it wanted the government to address.
The letter, entitled, ``Minimum End Point for Restoration of
Sustainable Sanity in Patient Care in Nigerian Hospitals’’, was jointly signed
by Obembe, NMA Secretary-General, Dr Adewumi Alayaki and all heads of its
affiliate bodies.
Some of the major issues include reserving the position of
chief medical director to only medical doctors, appointment of Surgeon General
of the Federation, passage of National Health Bill and providing security for
doctors.
The NMA also wants ``increase in duty, hazard and specialist
allowances, as well as budget for residency training programme''.
It called for the reintegration of its members into the
IPPIS platform, and reserving the title of consultants to only medical doctors,
among others.
Comments
Post a Comment