By Banji Ayoola
Striking doctors in Ondo State have suspended the action in view of the deteriorating healthcare of the common people who could ill afford exorbitant charges at private hospitals.
The suspension followed a meeting that the doctors’ umbrella body, the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, held on Wednesday with the state’s House of Assembly and other stakeholders in the state.
NMA Chairman in the state, Dr. Stella Adegbehingbe announced the suspension during the meeting with the Assembly’s Committee on Health and other stakeholders in Akure.
While lamenting that the strike has increased mortality rate due patronage of quack doctors, she assured that her colleagues in the state would return to work as soon as possible in the interest of the people who are seriously in need of medical attention in government hospitals.
Adegbehingbe urged the government not to intimidate any member for participating in the strike, through any form of victimisation.
She called on the state government to do needful, by giving attention to the welfare of medical personnel and other health workers for effective health delivery.
The NMA chairman also appealed to government to address the challenge of inadequate facilities, training, and shortage of manpower among others.
She asked the state government to honour the terms of the agreement reached with them, especially payment of doctors outstanding salaries, in line with their colleagues in the civil service.
Thanking the lawmakers and other stakeholders for their intervention, she called for the prompt payment of their outstanding salaries, to act as a stimulant to members who have been out of work for some time.
Other affiliate members who spoke at the parley urged the government to look into the payment of the stipulated welfare packages to the doctors as a way of curbing the massive drift of professional medical personnel.
Speaking earlier, Chairman, House Committee on Health, Dr Abiodun Faleye, and other lawmakers, pledged to reach out to necessary stakeholders with a view to ironing out grey areas and stemming incessant industrial disputes in the state’s health sector.
The meeting had in attendance the Permanent Secretary, Ondo State Hospitals Management Board, Dr Olaniran Ikuemola, representative of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr Uche Odionyema, and other affiliate officers of the body of medical practitioners in the State.
Addressing the session, the Chairman, House Committee on Health, Dr. Adiodun Falaye appreciated the medical practitioners for keeping to the tenets of their profession.
He assured that the legislative arm will liaise with the executive in finding a lasting solution to the issue.
Other lawmakers also appreciated the health workers for having genuine human feelings.
Doctors in the state on the auspices of the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners had embarked on a two-week warning strike on June 11, alleging that the state government was not taking their welfare seriously.
Specifically, the doctors had accused government of failing to pay their salary arrears for some months, failed to resolve the issue of exodus of doctors and other health workers among other matters, hence their service was withdrawn.
The association stated these in a letter to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu. It was signed by the state Chairman and Secretary of the NAGGMDP, Roland Arohunmolase, and Richard Obe, respectively
Titled ‘Notice of withdrawal of service’, the letter read: “With due respect to your office, we write to notify your office of the immediate withdrawal of service by our members working under Ondo State Government Civil Service.
“Following the ordinary general meeting of our association held on Wednesday 9th of June, 2021, members resolved at proceeding on a two-week warning strike, starting from 8am, 10th of June, 2021.”
According to the letter, some of the grounds for the industrial action are non-payment of salary arrears being owed health workers in Ondo State (January, 2017, March, April and May 2021), gross understaffing of government hospitals.”
Following mass exodus of doctors and other health workers from the state, non-regular payment of salaries and non-harmonization of doctors’ grade level in Ondo State Civil Service as approved by Mr. Governor which is contained in the letter written to the Nigerian Medical Association Ondo State in March, 2021, among others.
The letter further read: “Against this backdrop, we wish to let you know that our members have been overstretched and their emotional intelligence badly affected.”
