Patients in all public hospitals across the country have been groaning in pains and despondency for more than two weeks now following the nationwide strike declared by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) over the non-implementation of its 24-point demand. The strike is lingering because negotiation between the Federal Government and the leadership of NMA leadership has broken down. Poor Nigerians, who cannot afford the high bills charged by private hospitals, are at the receiving end as usual. They are usually hurriedly discharged whenever such strikes commence. The few that can afford it go to private hospitals with their last penny, while others resort to herbalists and quack medical personnel and patent medicine dealers or resign to fate. In the end, scores die as a result of repeated face-off between the FG and NMA.

 

About the last quarter of 2012, the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), a part of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), crippled health services in public hospitals nationwide when its members – nurses and midwives, pharmacists, medical technologists, senior staff of university-teaching hospitals, research institutes and non-academic staff of educational institutions, withdrew their services. The union commenced the strike after a meeting in Abuja between JOHESU and the Federal Health Ministry was deadlocked. Among some of the demands of MHWUN/JOHESU then were the implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Scale (CONMESS), and revisit of a 2001 Report, which was submitted to the FG, and for which no White Paper had been issued. They asked for a conference where grey areas in the proposed National Health Bill would be sorted out; demanded for the promotion of health professionals to CONMESS 15 (the equivalent of Grade Level 17 in the Federal Civil Service); consultancy and specialists allowances for their members who were qualified for them, and negotiated allowances for shift workers. They were also against the continued appointment of only medical doctors as ministers of health.

 

The NMA National President, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, and Secretary- General, Dr. A. L. Pemu, had in a statement, implored the FG to be cautious “in looking into the scurrilous demands of JOHESU, which, except for that on retirement age, are all frivolous.” The NMA leaders stated in addition: “…It is indeed shocking and disappointing to the NMA that members of JOHESU and allied health professionals are demanding to continue in acts reminiscent of stealing from government by threatening and blackmailing government to allow them jump a whole grade level in the public service. This is certainly outrageous, especially as there is no verifiable or justifiable reason to warrant that immoral concession”.

 

All that this indicates is that the NMA is not only at loggerheads with the FG, but is also fighting a supremacy war with JOHESU and other health workers under the union’s umbrella. Incidentally, however, the same NMA is insisting that the 24 demands and issues it has at stake with the FG should be fully addressed. Some of them have to do with salary increment, opposition to the appointment of non-doctors as directors in hospitals, establishment of a health trust fund for the upgrade of every public hospital facilities, quick passage of the National Health Bill and a general coverage for all Nigerians by the National Health Insurance Scheme, as opposed to the 30 per cent coverage being proposed, among others. Reports last week said the NMA vowed to continue with the strike after it shunned latest entreaties from the FG.

 

The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, had raised the hope that the strike would be called off early last week when he indicated that the government had signed a new agreement with the doctors at a meeting in Abuja penultimate weekend. But NMA delegates to the meeting faulted the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by their national leadership with the government and resolved to continue with the strike.

 

This newspaper blames the FG for not always being faithful to its commitment to agreements it enters with labour unions. Whether it is ASUU, or ASUP or NMA, the government has proved an undependable negotiator. However, in this current feud between FG and NMA, on the one hand, and the NMA and allied health professionals, on the other, are selfish demands and lack of appreciation of the sensibilities of other stakeholders. Ordinary Nigerians, who suffer from the effects of these acts of self-centeredness do not always count when demands such as these are made.

 

Privileged Nigerians, including medical doctors, scarcely patronize public hospitals, so they careless about the effects of their actions. The FG, NMA and other health workers should learn to give and take. Prolonging the doctors’ strike for any flattering reason is unpatriotic. The public has suffered enough.