Doctors’ strike: FG has not done the needful —NBA

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CHAIRMAN, Lagos State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr Francis Faduyile, has faulted moves by the Federal Government to end the doctors’ strike, decrying the double standard being played in meeting the demands of different cadres of health workers.

Dr Faduyile was reacting to claims by the Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, that doctors were not calling off the strike because of non-payment of six months arrears, stoppage of skipping and appointment of consultants as they demanded.

He said the health minister had the facts and figures on the issues raised by doctors, but had refused to do the needful, adding that all the Federal Government said it had done was not spelt out in black and white.

“When JOHESU got their demands, it was written in black and white. What is being offered to doctors should also be in black and white. It is not to say that discussions on meeting doctors’ demands are just ongoing,” he said.

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Dr Faduyile, who said the idea of calling the strike was muted and waved aside at the delegates’ meeting, declared that the promiseby the Federal Government to pay the salary arrears by the end of September was just to push things forward.

“Doctors actually move the motion to call off the strike, but this government is not sincere. There is nothing on the table it is presenting.

“He is just pushing things forward, the facts and figures are with him and he has refused to do the needful. On the arrears, he promised us first of all that he would put this in budget; second, that he will be in the supplementary budget. Now, they are talking about end of this September. This meant it will form part of the 2015 budget.

“The scheme of service says that it is only those with MBBS and BDS who has specialist certification that can be appointed a consultant. Now, some people were awarded consultants illegitimately and they have got a judgment in the court.

“We are now saying he should write explicitly to everybody that these are the groups of people that can be made consultants. If this is an administrative issue, this should not take much to do. He has not said anything; he should be bold enough to indicate the groups that can become consultants, based on the scheme of service,” he said.