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Tag: Mike Ogirima

  • Strike: NMA, JOHESU trade words over legality

    The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) on Wednesday has described the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) as an illegal body.

    The President of NMA, Prof. Mike Ogirima, also advised that no one should entertain or deal with JOHESU.

    Ogirima was apparently reacting to the indefinite nationwide strike commenced on April 18, by members of JOHESU.

    “JOHESU is an illegal body that should not be accorded any recognition by Nigerians,’’ he said.

    He also said that JOHESU’s industrial action was unnecessary as its demands were driven by envy.

    But Dr Chris Mbata, Rivers Chairman of the union, on Wednesday in Port Harcourt dismissed the NMA statement describing JOHESU as illegal.

    Mbata said the strike was purely to make government respect the agreement it entered into with the union on Sept. 30, 2017.

    According to him, the NMA is unfit to declare a recognised union such as JOHESU an illegal entity.

    “The NMA is not a trade union in the first place; it does not know that JOHESU is a union of all registered health sector trade unions,’’ he said.

    The chairman said the strike was not in any way targeted at any other body of service providers within the health care system.

    “The strike is simply a way of demanding a better welfare package for our members, it is not in any way targeted at anybody or group.

    “We are not in any form of competition, we are all strategic service providers in the system, we are all important,’’ Mbata said.

    He said other groups of health service providers were envious of JOHESU because of its strength and strategic position within the system.

    “About 80 per cent of workers in hospitals in this country are JOHESU members, they are aware of our position in the health sector.

    “Activities come to a halt whenever JOHESU is on strike, we occupy strategic position within the system,’’ he said.
    Meanwhile, the JOHESU strike has been reported to be effective as many branches joined the nationwide indefinite action.

    Mr Obisesan Oluwatuyi, the General Secretary, Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP), confirmed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

    Oluwatuyi said that they would not call off the strike until government met their demands.

    The health workers of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital (OAUTHC) , Ile-Ife, Osun, under the aegis of JOHESU, has joined the strike.

    Mr Obinna Ogbonna, National Vice Chairman of JOHESU, announced this during the congress of the union at the hospital complex in Ile-Ife on Wednesday.

    Ogbonna said the union decided to join the strike due to alleged failure of Federal Government to honour its agreement with the body.

    He said that federal government had on Sept. 30, 2017, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with JOHESU on its demands, which was supposed to be implemented within five weeks.

    “It will be recalled that JOHESU suspended its last nationwide strike action on Sept. 30, 2017, after the signing of the MoU.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, our demands are upward adjustment of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), employment of additional health workers.

    “Also, implementation of court judgment and upward review of retirement age from 60 to 65, among others.

    “However, it is disheartening to note that after six months of the suspension our last strike and still counting, the federal government has not done anything tangible over the issues,’’ he said.

    He said that the 30 days working ultimatum given to the federal government had expired.
    Similarly, the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Keffi , Nasarawa State, has also joined the nationwide indefinite strike.

    Mr Achimugu Isaiah, the JOHESU branch Chairman at the centre, disclosed this on Wednesday while declaring the strike during the union meeting in Keffi.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that all healthcare workers complied with the strike, except medical doctors providing skeletal services at the centre.

    Achimugu said the strike was in the interest of the public especially the poor.

    The chairman called on the federal government to meet up with the demands of the union in order to improve on the health status of Nigerians.

    However, Dr Luka Samuel, the Acting Medical Director of the centre, appealed to JOHESU members to return to work in the interest of the health sector.

    NAN

     

  • NMA raises alarm over low ratio of doctors to patients

    The Nigeria Medical Association NMA, has an alarm over the low ratio of medical doctors to patients in the country.

    Prof Mike Ogirima, the President of the association, expressed the concern in an interview with our reporters on Thursday in Abuja.

    Ogirima said that at the moment Nigeria had a ratio of one medical doctor to 6000 people in a given community.

    He added that this was grossly inadequate especially going by the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended a ratio of one doctor to 600 people in a community.

    The president of the association said that currently there were about 45,000 medical doctors in the country with an estimated population of 170 million.

    He said it was, therefore, ironical that Nigeria, with such a poor ratio, could not afford to absorb products from her medical schools.

    He argued that many medical doctors had been left without jobs while many others had gone to seek succour in other countries.

    “We have almost 3000 medical doctors being produced annually by medical schools. But we do not have the facility to absorb all of them.

    “If we don’t have the facilities then government needs to get the facilities in place to absorb the number of the medical doctors we produce,’’ Ogirima said.

    According to him, the house officers (those rounding off their training in medical schools) lack places to do their one-year compulsory training in the country.

    “Some of them have to wait for two years or three before they can get a placement.

    “After their youth service, they often have nowhere to be engaged and this is not to say that we do not need them.

    “There is no fund to employ them even in private hospitals.

    “This was not happening in the past and, therefore, government needs to do something to redress the situation.’’

    The NMA president said these were some of the reasons why many members of the association had been seeking for greener pasture outside the country.

     

  • NMA advocates implementation of National Oral Health Policy

    The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has advocated for the implementation of the National Oral Health Policy drafted by the National council on Health and signed into law by the Federal government in 2012.

    The advocacy was made by NMA’s President, Prof Mike Ogirima in Lafia on Tuesday during the celebration of the 2018 World Oral Health Day.

    Ogirima said that the implementation of the policy would improve oral healthcare delivery to patients in form of laid down standard guidelines on dental issues and provision of facilities and structures in all dental clinics across the country.

    “The policy stipulates that facilities and structures to be in place in all dental clinics but that is not the case now. We have the world oral health center in Jos which is not yet gazetted. No law is backing that center. So we need all these to be put in place”.

    “That is why we are advocating for the implementation of the policy to change the way we handle oral health for good,” he said.

    Ogirima said if the policy is implemented, a lot of progress will be achieved with regards to oral health which includes easier access to oral care and access to better infrastructure and facilities to take care of oral health.

    Also speaking, Dr Clement Onwube, NMA’s National Chairman on Dental Health Committee said the policy on oral health covers everything about manpower, infrastructure, the minimum standard for a dental clinic to operate.

    “I was one of the members of the technical committee that developed the policy in 2012. In fact the policy gave room for the appointment of chief dental surgeon in each state up to the three senatorial zones, dental committees at local government levels comprising representatives of the people to bring the message of oral health to the grassroots.

    “It is our candid belief that if every state in Nigeria can key into the guidelines of the National Oral Health Policy, we would have solved about 50 percent of the problems facing oral health in the country,” He said.

    He advised Nigerians to adhere to basic moral hygiene method in taking care of their oral health such as eating good food, fruits, vegetables, taking good care of the mouth by brushing the teeth twice a day and visiting the dentist every six months for proper oral health care.

    In her remarks, Hajia Salamatu Al-Makura, wife of the Nasarawa state governor thanked the NMA for celebrating the day and appealed for more sensitization especially in the rural areas so as to keep the people informed on the importance of a healthy oral life style.

    “Moments like this should be utilised. I thank the NMA for highlighting the importance of oral health. Another important message is for us all to observe basic oral hygiene by eating right and brushing at least twice a day,” She said.

    She added “My Non Governmental Organization Mother Child-Care Enhancement Foundation McCEF was part of the World Oral Day organised by the NMA in 2015. So for me, this is a familiar terrain.

    “I remember with every sense of fulfilment the success of the event. In 2015, people were screened and treated free of charge. That to me was a positive way of creating awareness and increasing oral health information and significance.”

    In his address, Dr Chris Edeh, Chairman, NMA, Nasarawa state chapter said the NMA in the state will continue to remain committed in holding advocacies and sensitization on oral health so as to enlighten people of the importance of their oral health.

    He then added that apart from the celebration of the World Oral Health day, a three days free dental screening and treatment will kick-start from Tuesday in Lafia at the Dalhatu Specialist Hospital and the Federal Medical Center. Keffi, thereby urging everyone to take advantage of the initiative.

     

  • NARD violates Trade Dispute Act – Ngige

    NARD violates Trade Dispute Act – Ngige

    The Federal Government said that the National Association of Resident Doctors ( NARD ) had violated section 18 of the Trade Dispute Act of the Federation of 2004 by embarking on strike.

    Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment said this at a conciliation meeting with the leadership of NARD on Wednesday in Abuja.

    “I do not want to be legalistic about it, because you have breached section 18 of the Trade Dispute Act, but all these are the sacrifices we have to make,” he said.

    It would be recalled that on Aug. 31, a Memorandum of Understanding was reached the minister and the Executives of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), NARD.

    Others are Ministry of Health, Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, Budget Office of the Federation and National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission.

    It would also be recalled that NARD had begun strike on Sept. 4, after reaching a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the Ministry of Health on its six-point demand.

    “We all signed that agreement which was like a collective bargaining agreement. One of the clauses there was that NARD should revert back to their National Executive Committee (NEC).

    “They should present the agreement which was a CBA with a view to shelving the strike that they had proposed.

    “We then adjourned the meeting to Nov. 2 within which period we expected the implementation of the items on the agreement.

    “We were surprised that at the NEC meeting, the CBA that was entered into was repudiated and the Association embarked on strike.

    “So, by section 18 of the Trade Dispute Act of the Federation, T8, T9, 2004, conciliation starts by the Minister.

    “No party is allowed to stage a lock out either for employees or embark on strike against the employers.

    “In this ministry, we act as conciliators and in such situation. Even though I am a government minister I am a Chief Conciliator. If the government is wrong, I will tell them that they are wrong.

    “If the employee is wrong, I will say so and at the end of the day, we will find a way to conciliate and make for an equitable industrial relations”,he said.

    He said that as a chief conciliator, it was imperative to reconvene the meeting and look at the CBA, if there were issues that the association felt that their interest were not properly captured.

    He noted that NARD would have written to the ministry, adding that the alternative would not have been to embark on a proposed strike, adding “that is not industrial relations.

    “I want to commend the President of NMA for making out time to come and all areas of dispute would be resolved in this meeting so that the doctors can go back to their patients.

    “For me, any other strike can be handled in a way that you do not care about the little time you lose.

    “But in essential services, especially in medical service, we can’t replace lives that were lost.

    “That is why we had to reconvene this meeting few hours after you started your strike and we hope that this meeting will resolve the rough edges in the CBA if there are any.

    “I assure you even before we start this meeting that we have had a government side meeting and reviewed the agreement and I want to say that within 48 hours, everybody has started implementation of this CBA, ‘’he said.

    He said that the Accountant General’s office had done what they were supposed to have done and had remitted the money from the short fall to the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    Earlier, Mr Mike Ogirima, NMA President commended the minister for reconvening the meeting.

    “ We have listened to you and that is why we are here. We hope that the trust that was not there when MoU was signed would be restored at this meeting.

    “Because once that trust is restored and evidences of implementations of those six point demands are seen, I hope this will be the shortest strike by Resident Doctors.

    The News Agency report s that at the time of filing this report the minister and the stakeholders were still in a closed door meeting.

  • NMA, Saraki’s wife mourn Osotimehin

    NMA, Saraki’s wife mourn Osotimehin

    The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and wife of the Senate President, Toyin Saraki, on Tuesday described the death of Executive Director of  the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, as a monumental loss.

    NMA has also opened a condolence register for the former minister of health who died on Sunday.

    A statement signed by Prof. Mike Ogirima and Dr. Yusuf Tanko Sununus, the NMA President and Secretary respectively,  said the deceased would be missed for his innovative thinking.

    The statement reads: “More importantly, the late Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin would be missed for his innovative thinking, strategic engagement and passionate delivery of his several life’s goals including protecting the rights to health of women and girls especially in family planning and population matters. Strategic planning and effective program implementation to deliver on health outcomes leading to the production and implementation of the 1st ever National Strategic Health Development Plan 2009-2015. Harmonious industrial relationships in the public health sector and improved conditions of service leading to approval and implementation of special salary systems for all health workers in 2009 and virile pro-development and non-combative medical activism.

    “In consideration of the life achievements of the great son of Africa, the Nigeria Medical Association on Tuesday April 18, 2017, honored him in a well-attended occasion in Abuja with the award of NMA GLOBAL HEALTH AMBASSADOR. His keynote address and acceptance speech clearly enunciated his vision and expectation of partnerships that make the world a better place to live through accountable and reproductive health outcomes.

    “We did not know that will be his last official engagement with NMA. We lament that his dreams of aligning UNPFA activities to the implementation of the NMA strategic plan 2017-2022 and commitment towards assisting NMA to meet the yearning aspirations of Nigerians may no longer be fulfilled.

    Saraki on her part said, “I have just learnt of the unbelievably sad news, that the global health community has lost my dear brother the Executive Director of UNFPA, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin.

    “In all the time since I have known Prof. Babatunde, right from his time leading NACA, then as a health minister, and up until his term at UNFPA, I have always found him to be an indefatigably diplomatic and committed ally in our mutual goal of improving the conditions and outcomes of pregnant mothers, their newborns, children, adolescents, and their communities. This is indeed a shocking loss, and our hearts and prayers go out to the Osotimehin family, and the development family that is UNFPA. I offer my sincere condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.”

     

  • NMA rejects planned harmonisation of health workers’ salaries

    NMA rejects planned harmonisation of health workers’ salaries

    The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has called on the Federal Government to shelve its planned harmonisation of salaries of health workers in the country.

    The association’s position is contained in a communiqué issued by Dr Mike Ogirima, President of NMA, on Sunday at the end of the 57th Annual General Meeting and Delegate Conference of the association, held in Calabar, from April 24 to 29 .

    It noted although health workers faced many hazards in the discharge of their duties, their output could not be compared to doctors who performed the bulk of the medical services.

    “There is an attempt to harmonise the salaries and the Federal Ministry of Health is at the lead of that attempt, which is currently causing a lot of disharmony in the health sector.

    “Medical doctors are highly skilled and few in the country; the cut-off mark for medical students now is 280 and above. Everybody wants to accept that title of doctor in the medical set up; we are not against that.

    “What we are against is the fact that everybody cannot be equated to be equal. In the animal kingdom, all animals are equal; but some are more equal than others,” it said.

    The association said that it was not against moves to enhance the welfare of other health workers, but insisted that relativity should be maintained.

    “We are not saying that the welfare of other medical workers should not be taken care of, but that relativity should be maintained when we talk of salaries of health workers in the hospitals.

    “The NMA is calling on government to evaluate different professionals in the health sector and audit the output they put at work.

    “With that, there will be more objective data and statistics to buttress our point, asking for maintenance of the relativity,” it added.

    The communiqué also lamented the deteriorating state of infrastructures in public health institutions across the country and called on governments at all levels, to place premium on developing the sector.

    It called on the Federal Government to be proactive by having a strong rapid emergency response team to handle outbreak of diseases, just as it stressed the need to resume local production of vaccines in the country.

    On the outbreak of Cerebral Spinal Meningitis across the country, the NMA condemned the poor handling of the outbreak of the disease in some states.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NMA also ratified the adoption of the association’s seal/stamp for medical practitioners to check quackery in the profession.