Ekiti NMA Justifies Doctors’ Strike


Posted on: Tue 14-07-2020

The Nigerian Medical Association in Ekiti State on Monday said the ongoing industrial action by some of its members for the pursuit of their welfare needs despite the COVID-19 pandemic was appropriate.

The NMA State Chairman, Dr Tunji Omotayo, said the doctors would only return to their duty posts after their rural, hazard, wage disparity and skipping allowances, as well as other pending welfare issues were met.

The doctors in the state Health Management Board, covering three specialist hospitals, 19 general hospitals and primary health care facilities, under the auspices of National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners, had withdrawn their services since June.

Omotayo said, “The implication of failure to implement skipping allowance is that doctors will only endure the hostile working conditions in the employment of the HMB until they can secure a more attractive employment elsewhere. This is the reason the number of doctors in the employ of the HMB will continue to dwindle.

“The HMB is responsible for the management of the hospitals and has about 70 doctors to run the 22 specialist and general hospitals. This means an average of three doctors per hospital with some of the hospitals having only one doctor.

“The three specialist hospitals had 15 consultants, but are now left with just five. In the PHC system, there are only 12 doctors leaving some of the 16 local government areas without clinical cover for their primary healthcare facilities.”

The NMA boss sought appropriate placement of promoted officers, saying the disparity in the conditions of service between the doctors in the employment HMB and other state’s establishment was capable of worsening the already precarious health indices in Ekiti rural and semi-urban communities.

Source: Punch