Doctors to Begin Nationwide Strike Thursday

The Nigerian Medical Association has warned it will ground medical services nationwide if the government fails to meet its demands. This come as the 21-day ultimatum it issued to the Federal Government draws to a close on July 23. Its President, Prof Bala Audu, noted that the association was prepared to take decisive action should the government fail to respond adequately to its demands.

He said, “We have made our position clear. The ultimatum ends on July 23, and if the Federal Government does not address our demands, we may have no choice but to proceed with a strike,”

“We have rejected that circular outright. We expect that any new directive affecting our members should be the outcome of mutual consultation, not something imposed,” he stated.

“The last meeting happened two weeks ago and the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate; the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako; the Permanent Secretary, the Director of Hospital Services, and the representative of minister of labour were at the meeting, and some affiliate of the NMA were present, and I was part of that meeting as well.

“The minister appreciated us, then he spoke about the issues as contained in the list of demands from the NMA.

“However, he felt that we should go for a further meeting, and another meeting was slated for last week, unfortunately, in the week, we lost the former President Muhammadu Buhari, so the meeting couldn’t be held.

“However, the next meeting is supposed to happen between us, the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, which issued a circular that we feel is obnoxious, and we have rejected it. We would also meet with the Ministry of Finance and representatives from the Ministry of Health,” he added.

The NMA president expressed concern that time was running out, adding that unless the meeting was held within the next few days, the association may be left with no other alternative but industrial action.