President, Nigerian Medical Association, Dr.
Osahon Enabulele
The Nigeria Medical Association, the umbrella body for all
medical and dental doctors in the country, on Wednesday
hinted that its members might commence an indefinite
strike on Saturday, December 14.
The association said the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi
Chukwu, “should be held responsible for any crisis that could
erupt in the health sector.”
The President of NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, in a statement
obtained by The PUNCH on Wednesday, said the latest
threat to commence strike followed an alleged breach of an
agreement reached with the Federal Government especially
on some health sector challenges, workplace conditions and
the conditions of service of doctors.
He recalled that on September 2, 2013, the NMA issued a
21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to address the
issues tabled before it.
Enabulele 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.
“Therefore the NMA 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.”
According to Enabulele, 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.”
Posted By Oluwafemi O (@toslaw)