Skip to main content

Nigerian Doctors To Begin Industrial Action On July 1

Doctors in Nigeria, under the auspices of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike action from July 1, 2014 unless the Nigerian government immediately approve the National Health Bill and also honor other agreements between both parties.

Doctors in Nigeria, under the auspices of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), have threatened to embark on an indefinite strike action from July 1, 2014 unless the Nigerian government immediately approve the National Health Bill and also honor other agreements between both parties.

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content1'); });

President of NMA, Dr. Kayode Obembe, who addressed the media in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city on Friday, expressed regrets over the proposed industrial action, but said there was no other way to resuscitate the sector and enhance the country’s healthcare delivery system.

“The Nigerian medical association is opposed to the proliferation of directors in the teaching hospital. Medical practice must be centred on patients cares”, said Obembe, who also announced the demand for the appointment of a Surgeon-General of the Federation.

“The moment you start adopting certain titles, it will render you useless in the performance of your duty and in your access to care of patients. I think such titles be completely removed from the health sector; that is our position”.

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('content2'); });

He also told the government to skip the grade Level 12 for the medical doctor, saying no medical doctor or dental practitioner should be on that level anymore.

“In the light of the foregoing, the NMA hereby gives government 14 days to meet all our demands as stated above or have our members called out for a resumption of the total and indefinite withdrawal of service, which has been suspended since January 5, 2014”, he added.

Doctors all over the country had embarked on a five-day warning strike in December 2013, and were to proceed on an indefinite action in January. However, they suspended the plan in the hope that the Federal Government would grab the opportunity to meet their demands.

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('comments'); });