Nigerian doctors begin indefinite nationwide strike over demands

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has declared an indefinite nationwide strike over the refusal of the Nigerian government to address its demands. Briefing newsmen, the President of the association, Dr. Kayode Obembe, said there was no going back.

The NMA had earlier made 24 demands from the Nigerian government. They include discontinuation of recognition of non-medical doctors as Directors and Consultant title to any other health worker other than medical doctors.

It is also asking for the appointment of a Surgeon-General of the Federation, payment of clinical duty and hazard allowances and withdrawal of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) circular on medical laboratory equipment.

“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. We hereby appeal to all Nigerians for their understanding and to press on the government to meet with our demands”,  Obembe said.

Obembe stated that the failure of the government to address NMA’s demands has left the association with no other option than “to call all its members to down tool in order to press home their demands.”

Obembe said there was no way non-doctors could be allowed to function as Consultants, given that they do not oversee patients in the hospital.

He said, “A consultant is the owner of the patient; many health workers now go about acquiring PhD so that they can be called doctors. The title should be restricted to only a medical doctor.”

According to him, last week’s interim injunction by the National Industrial Court has no link with the NMA as it was merely an issue between Medical and Dental Consultants Association and the government.

“Every doctor is a member of the NMA; other affiliates are allowed to operate also. We sought legal advice on the court injunction, our legal opinion is that the court order did not mention any reference to the NMA and since it did not mention NMA, we don’t want to dwell on it.”

On meetings it had with government, Obembe said, “We had a meeting with the Federal Government. We tabled our minimal demands; the government did not agree with NMA, but there is no end point. Some were referred to the court. There was no end point. While this was going on, the government was issuing out circulars favouring other health workers.”