President Goodluck Jonathan promised yesterday to end the doctors’ and university teachers’ strike.
The teachers’ is over 90 days. Members of the National Association of
Resident Doctors (NARD) are also on strike. The professionals are
blaming the government for failing to meet up with the agreement reached
with them.
Jonathan promised to end the strike when he received the leaders of
the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), led by its President, Dr. Osahon
Enabulele.
Presidential spokesman Dr. Reuben Abati, in a statement on the
meeting which reporters were prevented from covering, said the President
promised to do his all to resolve all issues that caused disputes.
He said the government attached great importance to the medical and educational sectors.
He said: “I believe that we must manage both sectors in such a way
that nobody engaged in them will think of going on strike again.
“We will continue to proactively evolve measures that will help us to
permanently overcome the problems that lead to strikes by health and
education professionals,” he added.
To facilitate rapid establishment of more centres of medical
excellence in the country, President Jonathan pledged that the Federal
Government would fully explore the option of creating a special
intervention fund.
According to him, the recommendation of a special fund that will give
low interest loans for the establishment of state-of-the-art medical
facilities is a creative idea that will receive appropriate
consideration from the government.
He said: “We are committed to working with professionals and the
private sector to establish better medical facilities in the country and
reduce the number of Nigerians who have to go abroad annually for
medical reasons.”
Jonathan also assured the doctors that his administration would
create the right conditions to enable doctors to stay at home and avail
Nigerians of their acknowledged skills and expertise instead of
migrating to other countries.
He said his administration was determined to correct the anomaly of
Nigeria being so strong in human capacity in medicine, with about 25,000
Nigerian medical consultants currently practising in the United States ,
as confirmed to him by President Barack Obama; and yet being unable to
treat many of its sick people in its own hospitals.
Jonathan said: “There is clearly a missing link somewhere and we will
do everything possible to fix it. We will continue to work with
professional bodies and all stakeholders to come up with more policies
and actions that will help us overcome current challenges in our medical
sector.
“We will work with the National Assembly to ensure the quick passage
of the National Health Bill. We will take prompt action to reconstitute
the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria. We will also consider
recommendations for the establishment of the Office of Surgeon-General
of the Federation.”
“I believe that we must always do what is best for our country. We
will review all the other issues you have raised and act accordingly.
When things are done properly, issues of welfare and remuneration in the
health sector will disappear,” the President said.
Dr. Enabulele assured President Jonathan of NMA’s support for his administration’s agenda.
He called for urgent reconstitution of the main regulatory body in
the health sector, the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria which was
dissolved in 2011.
The NMA President also called for faster action on the passage of the
National Health Bill and other issues related to the creation of a more
conducive operating environment for doctors and other healthcare
professionals such as remuneration, welfare and training.
The President was decorated with the emblem of the NMA by Prof. Umaru Shehu.
The NMA delegation included the Emir of Tsonga, Dr. Haliru Yahaya,
the NMA Second Vice-President, Dr. Uche Ojinmah and the NMA
Secretary-General, Dr. Akpufuoma Pemu.
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