Lagos Assembly moves to avert doctors strike; NMA lauds Peter Obi

Lagos Assembly moves to avert doctors
strike; NMA lauds Peter Obi
on january 04, 2014 at 9:52 am in news
Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly
(LAHA), on Friday, held crucial meeting with
stakeholders to avert the proposed indefinite strike
by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Nigeria Medical
Association (NMA) in Anambra, Dr Marcel Nnoba,
on Friday commended the state government for
commencing the process of employing additional
doctors in its health institutions.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the
House discussed issues affecting the health sector.
Dr Ajibayo Adeyeye, the Majority Leader, while
addressing the medical practitioners, appealed to
them to resolve the issue without resulting to strike
as it would affect the lives of citizens.
Adeyeye said the Lagos State Government could
not afford to lose patients at this crucial time when
it had committed huge amount to rehabilitation and
reconstruction of hospitals.
The Leader urged the Federal Government to listen
to the plights of members of the association with a
view to finding solution to their problems.
He said “we cannot afford another strike in the
health sector.
“One minute of strike in the health sector by
whatever body can be very disastrous to the state.’’
The majority leader also told the doctors that the
House was considering a law that would put a stop
on any impending strike.
He added that “the ripple effect of strike is greater
in Lagos as the population in the state cannot be
compared with others.’’
Mr Suuru Avoseh, the Chairman, Committee on
Health Services, charged the Lagos NMA and the
government representatives to have a cordial
relationship on how to resolve their differences.
“We should join hands together to do everything
humanly possible to ensure that our hospitals are
not shut down,’’ he said.
Avoseh, however, proposed that regular meetings
be held between the House, medical professionals
and government to address major challenges facing
the sector.
Earlier, Mr Francis Faduyi, the Chairman, NMA
Lagos State branch, said poor funding and
remuneration of doctors were some of the
problems.
Faduyi said the National Executive Council of the
NMA would meet in Abuja on Saturday and the
outcome of the meeting would determine if they
would join the strike or not.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Nigeria Medical
Association (NMA) in Anambra, Dr Marcel Nnoba,
on Friday commended the state government for
commencing the process of employing additional
doctors in its health institutions.
Nnoba told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in
Onitsha that the development would aid better health
delivery in Anambra, especially as the state was
facing population explosion.
He said the employment of new doctors would help
to reduce the over-worked doctors in the state’s
health institution.
The NMA chairman noted that it had been up to 20
years when the last recruitment of doctors was
done in government health institutions in Anambra.
“I know that the government had started the
process of employing additional doctors through a
laid down procedure.
“Presently, we have a lot of gap to fill, especially
going with the population explosion the state is
witnessing and the growing awareness of the
residents to seek medical attention from well
trained personnel,’’ he said.
The chairman, however, did not state the number of
doctors to be employed; saying “no matter their
number, it is a great help and relief to the health of
our people’’.
Nnoba explained that with the present personnel
gap, about 65 per cent of the residents of the state
now seek medical attention from private hospitals.
“With about 60 to 70 doctors in government-owned
health institutions; it is insufficient for a state like
Anambra with the highest growing and cosmopolitan
population in the South-East and South-South
regions.
“Since people from Delta and Edo States also come
to Anambra to seek medical attention,’’ he added.
Nnoba also thanked Gov. Peter Obi for the structural
development in most health institutions in the state.
“We want to thank the governor for listening to us in
the interest of our people as well as the cordial
relationship that existed between the NMA and the
government,’’ he said. (NAN)