The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) on Thursday expressed concern over the locking up of clinical services and equipment in
public health facilities by members of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU)
who are on a nationwide indefinite strike.
Medical doctors and health workers under JOHESU
have been at loggerhead over the running of public hospitals in the country.
There have been reported cases of conflicts and
in-fighting between health workers and medical doctors in public hospital since
the commencement of the nationwide strike by JOHESU last two weeks.
But in a statement signed by the NMA President, Dr.
Francis Faduyile, and General Secretary, Dr. Olumuyiwa Odusote, the association
said: "It is no longer news that healthcare professionals allied to
medicine have embarked on strike to press home some demands which they termed
legitimate but could best be described as spurious, what is news is the recent
attempt by these striking workers to frustrate healthcare delivery services to
the masses by our members.
"The striking allied health workers have
resorted to undue brigandage and desperate antics in an attempt to prevent our
members from offering healthcare services to Nigerians.
"They now lock up clinical service points and
equipment, thereby making it difficult for our members to operate smoothly
within the hospital environment, and other disruptive acts including
thuggery."
The NMA therefore called on "the CMDs/MDs of
government-owned health facilities to provide adequate security for doctors and
contract staff who are currently offering services within the hospitals.
"The lies being peddled around by JOHESU
regarding our members’ emoluments is an attempt to hoodwink the public against
Nigerian doctors.
"The commendable directive of the Federal
Ministry of Health to Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of Ffederal
government health facilities to ensure service delivery during this trying
period.
"We observe with dismay the maligning of the Ministers
of Health and Labour and Productivity by JOHESU, calling them all sorts of
uncomplimentary names, and the call by JOHESU for the removal of the Hon Min of
Health.
"This act of rascality, disregard for these
two offices and the call for the removal of the Minister of Health has finally
exposed their motive for disrupting the progress recorded in the Ministry of
Health in the last three years of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led
administration.
"One wonders if the salary of JOHESU members
is all that the health ministry is about. We therefore call on the federal government
and its representatives, including the minister of health and that of labour
and productivity, not to be distracted but continue to stand with the truth and
international best practices in ensuring the improvement of the health indices
of Nigerians.
"We appreciate once again the National Assembly
for the inclusion of one percent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund meant for
basic health care provision to Nigerians in accordance with the dictates of the
National Health Act 2014 into the 2018 appropriation bill."
Also, the federal government yesterday said plans
are underway to end mistrust between medical doctors and other health workers
in the health sector.
The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, stated
this when the Nigerian Health Institutions Chairmen Forum (NHICF) visited the
minister in Abuja.
Adewole stated that "efforts would be made to
bring JOHESU and NMA together on a round table so that solutions could be
sought for the nagging problems causing division and mistrust in the
sector."
The minister assured the group that the Federal
Ministry of Health has a lot of sympathy for JOHESU in that most of the demands
presented by the union have been given favourable consideration
NHICF President, Dr. Sam Jaja, explained that the forum
is charged with the objective of promoting the health policies of government
with a view of articulating them; shield the Health sector from undue politicisation
and identify with challenges encountered by health institutions and the entire
sector at large.
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