The Pain This Doctors’ Strike Is Causing Is Too Much

About three weeks ago, after a June 10 meeting of the National Officers’ Committee at its National Secretariat, the Nigerian Medical Association came up with a 24-point demand. It called on the Federal Government to meet the demands so as to avoid an indefinite nationwide strike on July 1.

Sunday July 6, 2014, marks the sixth day of the nationwide strike which has crippled health services in various public hospitals across the country and left many patients and their relations lamenting.

For the ordinary Nigerian who can barely afford quality health care in a country with one of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in the world, two major points highlighted by the NMA resolutions stick out:

“That government should expedite the passage of the National Health Bill (NHB), and extend Universal Health Coverage to cover 100 per cent of Nigerians and not 30 per cent as currently prescribed by National Health Insurance Scheme.

“Government should as a matter of urgency set up a health trust fund that will enhance the upgrading of all hospitals in Nigeria.”

According to Punch, the NMA was “taking this painful route” of going on an indefinite strike “in order to save the health care delivery system from anarchy that is imminent.”

“The 24-point demand can be looked at holistically in three categories; the administration of health care delivery system in Nigeria, the renumeration of doctors, and the health benefits that the general populace should have,” the Publicity Secretary, NMA, Lagos chapter, Dr. Peter Ogunnubi, told SUNDAY PUNCH.

At a press briefing during the week, the NMA President, Dr. Kayode Obembe, expressed disappointment over the deadlock in negotiation between the body and the Federal Government.

He said, “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.”

While Nigerians wait for this latest impasse to be resolved, many are groaning under the burden of this costly stalemate in the health sector.