•Union to withdraw services July 1
The Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has threatened to withdraw its services, in compliance with the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) directive.
The NMA had directed that should the Federal Government fail to stay action on the concessions granted to Joint Health Sectors Union (JOHESU), its members would go on strike.
In a statement yesterday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, by its National President, Dr Olusegun Ayodeji Oluwole, MDCAN warned the government to stop playing politics with professional health matters and withhold the circulars it issued in favour of the JOHESU.
The NMA had threatened to go on an indefinite strike on July 1 should the government fail to meet its demands.
The government reportedly granted concessions to JOHESU and the Assembly of Healthcare Professional Association, including the approval of consultancy positions for support workers, abolition of Deputy Chairman Medical Advisory Committee position and the appointment of support workers as directors.
MDCAN said JOHESU should be prevented from inventing a Nigerian system of medical services that would expose the nation to global ridicule.
Oluwole noted that though it is the policy of the association to ensure uninterrupted health services, it would still provide moral and logistics support for the NMA to ensure sanity in the Health sector.
The union leader said politics should not be allowed to further destroy the Health sector.
He accused JOHESU of pursuing monetary rewards for its members, their appointment as directors and consultants and creation of autonomous departments for them, among others, instead of ensuring the real practice of medicine.
Oluwole said: “…The ultimatum of the NMA to government on JOHESU matters is noted. While MDCAN remains committed to its policy of ensuring uninterrupted health services, it will comply with directives to withdraw services, should the government allow the situation to deteriorate to the extent that NMA will have no credible alternatives. MDCAN will provide all moral and logistics support for the NMA to ensure the success of any action it deems fit to restore sanity to the Health sector…”
“MDCAN again appeals to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) to take critical look at the needless anarchy in the Health sector and the attendant consequences on health care delivery and training of medical students.”
The union leader noted that such concession, particularly on consultancy appointment for support workers, is in the National Industrial Court (NIC).
He wondered why the Federal Government granted a concession on such a highly professional issue.
According to him, JOHESU’s request that medical teachers, who traditionally are workers of universities be eliminated from the leadership of teaching hospitals, is absurd.
Oluwole said teaching hospitals serve universities, adding that this was how they derive their names.
He said the union leadership should not be political but professional.
