FOLLOWING the granting and concession of the Federal Government to the demands of other health workers which resulted in salaries increase , the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Sunday, said that its members would embark on an indefinite strike by July 1, 2014, if their24 point demand, including the immediate adjustment of the doctors’ pay as agreed and documented were not met. Chairman NMA Lagos Chapter, Dr. Francis Faduyile, at a press conference on the challenges in the health sector said: “In the light of the fore-going therefore, the NMA hereby gives government 14 days to meet all her demands or have her members called out for a resumption of the total and indefinite withdrawal of service suspended on January 5, 2014. “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 Government to meet with our demands to avoid the strike which is scheduled to start on July 1, 2014 Faduyile said government should expedite the passage of the National Health Bill (NHB), and extend Universal Health Coverage to cover 100 per cent of Nigerians and not 30 per cent as currently prescribed by National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). On the disparity in salaries of doctors and other health workers, Faduyile said the 24 demands were the resolutions of the NMA National Officers’ Committee (NOC) meeting held on June 10, 2014 at the National Secretariat and submitted to the office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation Wednesday June 11, 2014. Faduyile said: “Relativity in health sector is sacrosanct. The NMA hereby demands for immediate implementation of the January 3rd, 2014 circular. The NMA also demands the immediate payment of the arrears of the corrected relativity for 22 years during which her members were short changed. “Much as we are not against salary increase for any category of workers, either in the health sector or elsewhere, the NMA demands for immediate adjustment of the doctors’ salary to maintain the relativity as agreed and documented once Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) is adjusted.” The NMA is also demanding that the position of Chief Medical Director/Medical Director must continue to be occupied by a medical doctor as contained in the Act establishing the tertiary hospitals. “This position remains sacrosanct and untouchable,” Faduyile said. He further explained: “Why did they not ask that the post of vice chancellor be open to everyone in the university since Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) are made up of graduates. “Can you be a judge of the high court or court of appeal if you are not a lawyer? “Why do they think the hospitals where lives are saved everyday should sacrifice the established leadership i.e. chief medical director?” Top on the NMA’s demands is on the post of Deputy Chairman Medical Advisory Committee (DCMAC), which has been circularized and operational. Faduyile in a statement jointly signed by the NMA Lagos Chapter Secretary, Dr. Babatunde Bamigboye, said: “Rather than abolish it, the NMA hereby demands that four DCMACs for teaching hospitals and three for the Federal Medical Centres be appointed forthwith to assist the CMACs whose statutory responsibilities are too heavy for any single individual to handle. Directors in other government agencies are supported by several Deputy Directors, why not the CMAC who is also a Director? Such a DCMAC must have same qualifications as the CMAC.” Faduyile said the NMA is opposed to the appointment of Directors in the hospitals. This position, he said, distorts the chain of command in the hospital, induces anarchy and exposes the patient to conflicting treatment and management directives with attendant negative consequences. Faduyile said the NMA is also demanding that Grade level 12 (CONMESS 2) in the health sector must be skipped for medical doctors. “Consequently no medical/dental practitioners should be on that grade level anymore,” he said.
Posted on: Mon, 16 Jun 2014 20:05:35 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015