Against the backdrop of rife fears by the outbreak of Ebola Virus
Disease (EVD) in the country, there were discordant tunes within the
leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) over ending the
strike embarked upon by the association.
This came as Senate President, David Mark, implored the medical doctors to see the outbreak of Ebola disease in the country as a national emergency that should necessitate the immediate suspension of their strike, now in its second month, and return to duty.
Rising from an emergency delegates meeting of the NMA in Abuja to review the situation, especially in view of the EVD outbreak, some members of the association said the strike had been suspended, while others insisted that the industrial action was still on and would remain so until the Federal Government addressed some demands made by the association.
Investigations revealed that while some top executives favoured ending the strike in line with popular demand to enable members respond to the national health emergency on ground, many delegates from the states disagreed on the ground that even if the strike would be suspended, government must be committed to meeting some of their key demands.
As at press time, calls put through to the President of the NMA, Dr. Kayode Obembe, were not responded to. Similarly, text messages to him to confirm that the strike had been suspended were apparently ignored.
A reliable source leading one of the private doctors’ associations said the strike had been suspended and that based on the development, “Obembe had informed some sections of the foreign media.”
Reacting to the development, the 2nd Vice Chairman, NMA, Lagos State, Dr. Olusegun Akinwotu, admitted that there was disagreement among the doctors during the meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, saying, “The differences were resolved finally before the end of the meeting”.
On whether doctors voted to end the strike, Akinwotu said when the president requested for a motion to be moved on whether or not the strike should end or continue, “the hall was silent.”
On rumours that the NMA president had been impeached following moves to end the strike, he said the disagreement was resolved, adding that Obembe remained the president of the association.
This position was confirmed by the Secretary of the NMA in Lagos State, Dr. Babajide Saheed, who also said the strike would continue and the NMA remained resolute in its demands.
Speaking in the same vein, Akinwotu said the strike would continue until the government met some set of compelling demands.”
This came as Senate President, David Mark, implored the medical doctors to see the outbreak of Ebola disease in the country as a national emergency that should necessitate the immediate suspension of their strike, now in its second month, and return to duty.
Rising from an emergency delegates meeting of the NMA in Abuja to review the situation, especially in view of the EVD outbreak, some members of the association said the strike had been suspended, while others insisted that the industrial action was still on and would remain so until the Federal Government addressed some demands made by the association.
Investigations revealed that while some top executives favoured ending the strike in line with popular demand to enable members respond to the national health emergency on ground, many delegates from the states disagreed on the ground that even if the strike would be suspended, government must be committed to meeting some of their key demands.
As at press time, calls put through to the President of the NMA, Dr. Kayode Obembe, were not responded to. Similarly, text messages to him to confirm that the strike had been suspended were apparently ignored.
A reliable source leading one of the private doctors’ associations said the strike had been suspended and that based on the development, “Obembe had informed some sections of the foreign media.”
Reacting to the development, the 2nd Vice Chairman, NMA, Lagos State, Dr. Olusegun Akinwotu, admitted that there was disagreement among the doctors during the meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, saying, “The differences were resolved finally before the end of the meeting”.
On whether doctors voted to end the strike, Akinwotu said when the president requested for a motion to be moved on whether or not the strike should end or continue, “the hall was silent.”
On rumours that the NMA president had been impeached following moves to end the strike, he said the disagreement was resolved, adding that Obembe remained the president of the association.
This position was confirmed by the Secretary of the NMA in Lagos State, Dr. Babajide Saheed, who also said the strike would continue and the NMA remained resolute in its demands.
Speaking in the same vein, Akinwotu said the strike would continue until the government met some set of compelling demands.”
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Conflicting reports over suspension of NMA strike |
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