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The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) says the ongoing Joint Health Workers Union Strike (JOHESU), is unreasonable, baseless and reckless
The Chairman NMA-FCT chapter, Chiedozie Jude Achonwa stated this during a press conference to state the position of the NMA with respect to the ongoing strike action by JOHESU in Abuja on Tuesday.
Chiedozie said the ongoing strike is an attempt by JOHESU to brainwash and get the sympathy of the innocent and unsuspecting public who may tend to believe their propaganda.
“the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) FCT has been following up on matters arising from it. We would ordinarily have ignored JOHESU as it concerns her ongoing strike but we are at the moment constrained to respond and put the record straight to debunk JOHESU’s deliberate peddling of falsehood, twist of facts, misinformation and manufacture of non-existent figures just to hoodwink and get the sympathy of the innocent and unsuspecting public who may tend to believe their propaganda if we keep quiet.
“While unionism and activism is encouraged, it must not be carried to the extreme with the delusion that the system can always be brought to its knees for unreasonable, baseless and reckless demands to be acceded to. The NMA wishes to state clearly that the ongoing JOHESU strike is essentially against medical doctors in particular, and the peace-loving Nigerians in general,”
He said “The unnecessary strike, we must let Nigerians know, is centered on quest for equal pay with Medical doctors as well as leadership (clinical governance) contestation in our hospitals,”
The Chairman explained that the support staff who are members of JOHESU only act upon the instruction or directive of the doctor. This he said is the standard practice world over, and is the concept of governance in clinical practice which Nigeria cannot be an exception.
“it is the doctor that is held accountable should anything go wrong in the overall management of the patient. Nigerians can therefore, be the judge as to who qualifies to be the leader of the health team.
“Nigerians need to understand that the Hospital is structured in such a way that every treatment/instruction must be directed from the medical doctor. No patient receives anything in the Hospital unless the doctor says so. The reason is not far-fetched. It is in the best interest of the patient so that he/she is not mishandled. The outcome is better imagined when a doctor gives instruction on patient’s management and the other healthcare workers also give separate and possibly conflicting directives on the same patient. It is akin to the proverb ‘’too many cooks spoil the broth’’.
He adds that the unwarranted leadership contest in the health sector by JOHESU in recent years has led to several untold hardships on our patients with attendant avoidable loss of lives in some of our public health institutions.
“Comparison of Nigeria health indices between the remote past and recently shows that we fared better in the former when there was orderliness, strict observance of roles, and obedience of doctors’ command with respect to patient care. Questions must be asked while this unfortunate scenario doesn’t play out in private or public-private Hospitals. The answer is obvious; everybody knows his/her boundary and must conform to laid down rules and organogram.”
He reiterated that NMA has never been against any wage or salary increase or adjustment for health workers. Rather, NMA has, in her numerous engagements, severally advocated for wage or salary increase for all Nigerian workers. It must be emphasized that what JOHESU is asking for is not necessarily increment in salary per se, but equal pay as doctors, as they want government to pay them exactly the same amount as paid to doctors.
“Is a court clerk paid the same wage as a judge, or an air hostess as a pilot? The answer is definitely NO. It should be expected, therefore, that NMA will never allow JOHESU to use subterfuge and backdoor approach to become doctors. The universities are out there with clearly spelt-out guidelines for anyone who wishes to study Medicine and Dentistry. We wish to encourage JOHESU to take advantage of that rather than employing this back door approach to become ‘’doctors.”
He averred that the NMA will never allow JOHESU to use subterfuge and backdoor approach to become doctors. The universities are out there with clearly spelt-out guidelines for anyone who wishes to study Medicine and Dentistry. We wish to encourage JOHESU to take advantage of that rather than employing this back door approach to become ‘’doctors’’.
“We wish to, at this juncture, remind the government that NMA will not accept any attempt to further distort or erode the existing relativity as agreed and signed in the collective bargaining agreement of 2014. It is important to note that this agreement was reached with a lot of comprise and sacrifice already on the part of Nigerian doctors. It is worthy of note that members at the recently held NMA ADM unanimously resolved to utilize every means legitimate to forestall any attempt to disregard or breach the said agreement. It must be placed on record that NMA has put before government issues that border on universal health coverage, improvement of health facilities and equipment as well as issues regarding conditions of service. It is our hope that government, while engaging in dialogue on these matters with a view to making progress, will not precipitate another crisis by bowing and acceding to pressure from JOHESU.
He said Doctors in the FCT have been going about their legitimate duties in all public health facilities. They have had to go extra miles to cover for the absence of the allied health professionals in order to ensure service delivery to patients.
OYIN AMINU, ABUJA
