The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Nigeria Medical Association

  • Kogi: NMA direct members to begin indefinite strike

    Kogi: NMA direct members to begin indefinite strike

    The Kogi State chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association on Tuesday directed members to embark on an indefinite strike beginning 12 midnight of Wednesday, pending resolution with the state government on the payment of their outstanding salaries and arrears.

    This was contained in a communique issued at the end of an emergency congress in Lokoja, which was signed by the chairman and secretary of the association, Dr Tijani Godwin and Dr Zubair Kabiru, respectively.

    They expressed disappointment that despite suspending their earlier strike for two months to allow for peaceful resolutions of issues of special consideration to all doctors employed in 2015, as earlier documented in the memorandum of understanding signed on the 9th of January 2017 between the Kogi State government and NMA, failure to clear nine doctors after providing necessary documents as required by the screening committee, under-payment of salaries and arrears of doctors that have been paid, implementation of the new tax regime without commensurate promotion and stepping of doctors in the state civil service, and advertisement for employment of more doctors, despite inability of the administration to implement adjusted Consolidation Medical Salary Scale (CONMESS), the government failed to reciprocate the kind gesture.

    The NMA warned doctors who may decide to pick up employment with the state government to be cautious, as not all currently in its workforce have been so paid, nor has the government implement the adjusted (CONMESS).

    They demanded that, “The Kogi State government retain and pay the arrears of all the doctors employed in 2015 as they have waited patiently while providing healthcare service in the state for over 15 months without salaries, clear and pay the remaining nine doctors whose name did not appear on any list and issues of underpayment of salaries and arrears should be corrected forthwith”.

    The association called on the government to return the new tax regime to status quo, or promote doctors accordingly, before implementation, just as they called for uniform taxation for all the doctors in the Kogi State Civil Service.

    It would be recalled that the association in December 2016, embarked on a warning strike, which was suspended in January 2017 over unpaid salaries of doctors in the state.

  • Expired burst tyre responsible for doctors’ death – FRSC

    Expired burst tyre responsible for doctors’ death – FRSC

    The burst rear tyre of the vehicle conveying the medical doctors to Sokoto was manufactured 2008, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has revealed.

    According to findings a tyre life expectancy from the day of manufacturing, especially in a country like ours is four years, while in countries with good road network is about six years.

    Six medical doctors and the driver of the vehicle died as a result of the sudden burst of tyre. The doctors were on their way to Sokoto for the annual conference of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA).

    FRSC team leader, Assistant Corps Marshall, Victor C. Nwokolo revealed the status of the vehicle tyre when he conducted the minister of state, Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire round the scene of the accident.

    Nwokolo attributed the cause of the accident to a sudden burst of the rear tyre that was manufactured in the year 2008 and sudden application of break by the panicked driver.

    He however hinted that some precautions could have saved the victims, like usage of seat belt, non application of break when there is tyre burst, take 15munites break after every 4hrs drive and don’t drive after taking a heavy meal, amongst others.

    The Minister of State, Health lamented the tragic loss; stressing that his visit was aimed at seeing what lessons could be drawn from the sad incident to forestall future occurrence.

    Dr. Ehanire stressed the urgent need for Emergency Management Training (EMT) for Road safety ambulance team and techniques on safe driving for all drivers.

    At St. Gerald’s Catholic hospital, Kakuri, Kaduna where the late victims were treated, the Minister commended the hospital staff for caring for the victims.

    He also said that Health Ministry would collaborate with the hospital in accident emergency response and management under the Private Public Partnership arrangement (PPP).

    The proprietor of the hospital, Most Rev. Dr. Mathew Ndagoso who was represented by the hospital’s administrator, Reverend Sister, Beatrice Danladi, noted that the hospital, though  a faith-based, did all medically to save the lives of the victims when they were admitted, but were not successful.

    She however appealed to government to assist in upgrading the accident and emergency unit of the hospital as this would guarantee better service to accident victims who are often rushed to the hospital from Kano, Zaria, Kafanchan, Sokoto and Gusau.

  • ‘Lagos doctors won’t go on strike’

    ‘Lagos doctors won’t go on strike’

    Doctors working for the Lagos State government have said they will not go on strike to resolve their problems with the government.

    The chairman of Medical Guild, Dr Biyi Kufo, said the government has shown enough commitment to resolve the issues.

    He said the government was given a four-week ultimatum, which was a follow-up to the 21-day ultimatum given on December 29, last year.

    The government, Kufo said, has shown a lot of obligation on the matter with its constant dialogue with the doctors’ associations, and as such deserves additional time to tackle the issues.

    “Our parent body, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), met with the government and it indicated that there was readiness to revisit the issues,” he said.