- Give govt 14 days ultimatum
Doctors under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association in Osun State have suspended their 7-day warning strike, inspite of the refusal of the state government to yield to their demands.
The State NMA, however, gave the state government a 14-day ultimatum to address the issue, but ordered its members not to attend to any emergency service in any of the hospitals in the state.
The suspension of the warning strike embarked upon on September 18, this year, was announced in a communique issued on Tuesday and signed by the NMA Chairman in Osun, Dr. Tokunbo Olajumoke, and secretary, Dr. A. Ajayi.
Olajumoke and Ajayi alleged that their lives and those of other executives of the association had been threatened since the strike began.
According to the doctors, “The issues of selective poor attention to the welfare of doctors ranging from inappropriate and demeaning renumeration, victimisation of doctors by continued withholding of their 4-6 month emoluments of 2915/2016, non-complementary pay slips, burden of huge taxation, among others, have largely been unattended to.
“Despite the three months of the walk-for-survival rally, 21 days ultimatum, and seven warning action among other actions, the government has not offered any meaningful response to the problems affecting doctors in the state of Osun. The government has once again demonstrated her nonchalant attitude towards the welfare of the doctors and the consequent untoward effect of such on the citizens of the state.
“Osun State-owned hospitals have remained in an appalling state, albeit unknown to the unsuspecting citizens of the state, who will still access these facilities. This has affected the quality of health care services available to the people of Osun State and, therefore, the health indices of the state have continued to maintain a downward trend.
“Osun State has experienced an unprecedented brain drain in the health sector as a result of the various unimaginable welfare challenges facing doctors in the employment of the state, which had caused an alarming instability in the sector.”
The doctors further said, “We want to once to, once again, bring to the notice of the general public that the leadership of the association, specifically the Chairman and the Secretary, have received threats to their lives in the last two weeks, which is not unconnected with the present agitation and these have been reported to the relevant security operatives.
” We, therefore, have resolved that all doctors in the employment of the Osun State Government should suspend the seven days warning strike on Monday, September 25, 2017; in view of the appeal to the association by well-meaning stakeholders and the association gives the state government fourteen days to find lasting solution to the issue.
“Within this fourteen days period, our members shall not attend to any emergency services in any of the hospitals. At the expiration of fourteen days, our association will meet to consider the response of the state government so far so as to consider further actions.”
But the Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr. Rafiu Kusamotu, maintained that the state lacked financial resources to pay the doctors full salaries and meet their other demands, saying they should accept the half salaries being offered them, like other workers in the state.
