Chief Medical Director of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti in Ekiti State, Dr Majekodunmi Ayodele, yesterday appealed to medical doctors across the country to call off their strike.

 

Ayodele also called on the federal government to sponsor a bill that will criminalize what he called incessant strikes by medical workers in the country.

 

Speaking on the nationwide strike by doctors, Ayodele lamented that the action was crippling the health sector.

 

Ayodele, a consultant psychiatrist, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to set machinery in motion for the restructuring of the health sector. 

 

Doctors are on strike to demand full implementation of Consolidated Medical Salary Scale and commencement of payment for Consolidated Health Salary Scale 2 to members, as directed by the federal government.

 

Ayodele urged doctors to show understanding, adding, “the templates for the implementation of CONMESS and payment for skipping CONHESS 2 have  not been released by the federal government, let alone release money for their payments. The federal government must start a process of restructuring the health sector. It seems as if the medical officers, including doctors, nurses and others are addicted to strike and this is killing the system.”

 

 

He recalled that in 2014, doctors went on strike for over four months while JOHESU was on strike for about six months.

 

He said: “Out of about 360 working days, they did not work for up to 120 days. We cannot afford to abandon our responsibilities,  because we offer essential services. How do you realize money to pay for residency training when workers are not working to make money? You cannot embark on strike at the slightest opportunity and be expecting sponsorship for training from the hospital”.

 

He dismissed rumour that funding for CONHESS 2 and CONMESS was factored into the 2015 budget, adding, “it is saddening that we are losing lives here on daily basis and we plead with our colleagues to resume work. They must show understanding and patriotism.”

 

By Doyin Adebusuyi,

Daily Trust