The umbrella body of Nigerian doctors, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike on Saturday December 14, 2013 due to the inability of the federal government to meet the demands of the association.
"For
over five months now, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), the
umbrella body for all medical and dental practitioners in Nigeria, has
recurrently engaged the Federal Government through the Federal Ministry
of Health, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and the Secretary
to the Government of the Federation, on issues bordering on some health
sector challenges, workplace conditions and the conditions of service
of doctors," the association said in a statement.
It added: "On the 2nd September, 2013 the Nigerian Medical
Association issued a 21day ultimatum to the Federal Government of
Nigeria to address the issues tabled by NMA.
"However, based on the
understanding reached following the intervention of the Honourable
Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu CON, the NMA
decided to extend her ultimatum by four weeks at her emergency National
Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abuja on September 22, 2013.
"Following the expiration of the additional four (4) weeks grace granted
to the Federal Government, the NMA again magnanimously extended twice
the ultimatum on account of the Government’s constitution of a
Presidential Committee and promise to speedily resolve the issues
contained in the requests of the NMA.
The association said the government only carried out a re-constitution and inauguration of the
Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCAN) but neglected issues about the workplace conditions of the doctors.
It said: "The attention
of the government to other issues bordering on workplace conditions and
injustice meted out to doctors in their conditions of service and
funding/ infrastructural and equipment upgrade of the health sector have
not received any significant attention."
In the statement signed by the president of the association, Dr Osahon Enabulele, it said it cannot extend the grace period any further.
It said: "On account of the
foregoing, it may be difficult to guarantee further extension of the
grace period and consequently, industrial harmony in the health sector,
especially as the December 14, 2013 deadline issued to the Federal
Government to concretely resolve the demands of the NMA draws closer."
It stated further that the leadership of the federal ministry of health is not serious with efforts aimed at averting the strike and urged citizens to blame the ministry for the aftermath of the industrial action.
"Efforts by the NMA to engage the leadership of the Federal Ministry of
Health even at this eleventh hour collapsed following the unserious
approach and attitude of the leadership of the Federal Ministry of
Health who seem to be less bordered about the potential crisis which may
erupt in Nigeria’s health sector from Saturday, December 14, 2013.
"Therefore the Nigerian Medical Association most distressingly alerts the
entire nation about the imminent collapse of health services across the
entire country given the apparent levity and lack of concrete
commitment so far exhibited by the Government through the Federal
Ministry of Health," NMA said.
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