By Editor
The Nigeria Medical Association, (NMA), Osun State chapter has suspended its 7 day warning strike and directed doctors in the state to resume work immediately in their various hospitals across the state.
In a communiqué signed by the Chairman of the association, Dr. Tokunbo Olajumoke and Secretary, Olalekan Ajayi, the NMA said the strike was suspended because of the intervention of well-meaning stakeholders who appealed to them with the assurance that the state government would address and resolve the lingering issues.
It would be recall that the NMA in the state held an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) on September 18, 2017 and directed all doctors working with Osun State government to commence a 7 day warning strike following the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum issued to the state government.
The association said the strike became necessary because of the poor condition of facilities in the hospitals in the state and the demeaning remuneration and poor welfare of medical doctors in the state.
NMA lamented that hospitals owned by the state government remained in appalling state and that unsuspecting citizens of the state who still access these facilities were oblivious of this.
The NMA said there was a dangerous dimension on the doctors’ agitation as there was a threat to leadership of the association and that the Chairman and the Secretary of the association had received threats to their lives in the last two week which was not unconnected with the present agitation “this has been reported to the relevant security operatives”
According to the communiqué, “This has affected the quality of health care services available to the people of Osun state and therefore the health indices of the state had continued to maintain a downward trend. Osun State had 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 association insisted that the state government must address and resolve issues of selective poor attention to the welfare of doctors ranging from inappropriate and demeaning remuneration, victimization of doctors by continue withholding of their 4–6 month emoluments of 2015/2016, non-complimentary pay slips, burden of huge taxation among others,
NMA added “We commend the Federal Government for her magnanimity and sincerity as regards release of funds under several initiatives to our dear state to ameliorate the hardship being faced by Osun doctors and workers as a result of the self-created, unprovoked debt profile masterminded by the state government that has led the state into this regrettable situation.
“We appreciate our National President, Professor Mike Ozovehe Ogirima and his team for their support and guidance.
“We appreciate our members for their unprecedented perseverance and consideration in the last couple of months .
“We appreciate the good people of Osun for their continued perseverance.
We appreciate the gentlemen of the press, the men of the state security service and the Nigerian Police Force for their professionalism and dedication.