Nigerians woke up about six days ago to
the news that doctors(under the NMA) had embarked on a nationwide
indefinite strike to compel the government to accede to their demands.
According to the NMA, negotiations with the government within the last
two weeks(preceding the strike),after it had suspended its earlier
warning strike yielded nothing tangible.Hence the need to down tools
once again.
The NMA(just like other unions) embarking
on strike and presenting demands to the government is not new, it is
one of those things we have gotten use to; life might not be complete if
we do not witness these things regularly ! However what makes the
present strike by the NMA somewhat different is the claim by the union
that the strike is in the interest of all Nigerians and the future of
the nations health sector, but a closer look at the 24 demands presented
by the NMA to the government makes it obvious to the discerning that
the NMA is only in an ego battle with other health workers. 90% of the
24 points are centered on relevance,position and money etc.
I was speaking to a group of medical
doctors over the weekend who struggled to convince me on why the nation
needed a Surgeon-General and I asked what will be the use of such when
we have a minister of health,who is almost if not in all cases a medical
doctor? They reasoned that in the case of recurrence of what happened
during late President Yar’Adua tenure,the surgeon general will be the
one to ascertain if the president is fit to remain in office, since he
is not a politician. I reminded them that almost all of our ministers of
health weren’t card carrying members of political parties before their
appointments. A surgeon general appointed by the president won’t be
different, “he who pays the piper calls the tune.”.
The NMA is also demanding that only
medical doctors be recognized and addressed as consultants – I do not
understand the basis for such a demand. Wikipedia defines a consultant
as a “professional who provides professional or expert advice in a
particular area.”, by that definition, a carpenter,fisherman etc can
all be addressed as consultants. Why then do the doctors believe it
should be their exclusive preserve in the hospital environment to be
addressed as consultants? Are pharmacists,nurses,lab scientists etc not
all professionals, trained to carry out duties a doctor can NEVER do. If
they also give professional advices,aren’t they qualified then to be
addressed as consultants?
The NMA is also asking for the withdrawal
of CBN circular on importation of medical equipment, which to me is
laughable. What is wrong in a medical lab scientist ascertaining the
state of a medical equipment before it is allowed into the country? For
goodness sake, they are consultants in that field. A doctor knows
nothing about medical equipments and should allow those who are trained
to handle such equipments carry out their duties.
NMA has also asked that the position of
CMD(Chief Medical Director) be reserved for only doctors , I can’t also
understand why such a request should be granted, after-all the position
is an administrative position and can be handled by any other medical
personnel. The CMD does not conduct surgery in his office, therefore
anyone can occupy the office. It is on record that some CMD’S in the
past and even presently have been very poor in the day to day management
of some government hospitals resulting in avoidable internal strikes.
That one is a medical doctor does not mean the fellow will be a good
manager of men and resources;why then should doctors alone be allowed to
permanently occupy the position of CMD?
NMA is also seeking re-integration into
the IPPIS and yet can’t provid an answer as to why they opted out in the
first instance. Was it not still a way of trying to show that they are
superior to others and shouldn’t be involved in whatever other unions
are doing?
This statement by NMA president Dr Kayode
Obembe “We had a meeting with the Federal Government. We tabled our
minimal demands; the government did not agree with NMA, but there is no
end point. Some were referred to the court. There was no end point.
While this was going on, the government was issuing out circulars
FAVOURING other health workers.”, is a pointer that the NMA is out to
fight and suppress other health unions and this strike is one of the
ways they have chosen to start their battle. The doctors are as ‘free as
air’ to embark on strikes whenever their emotions permit them to(after
all most of the best private clinics in Nigeria are owned by senior
doctors working for the government,who will still be making money from
the poor Nigerians they claim to be fighting for),but embarking on a
strike to tell the government what others should get alongside.What they want is both unacceptable and childish.
The NMA should quit acting as
pseudo-intellectuals and realize that they can’t boss over other
professionals. Everyone is a KING in his/her area of specialization.
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