About three weeks ago, after a June 10
meeting of the National Officers’ Committee at its National Secretariat,
the Nigerian Medical Association came up with a 24-point demand. It
called on the Federal Government to meet the demands so as to avoid an
indefinite nationwide strike on July 1.
Today marks the sixth day of the
nationwide strike which has crippled health services in various public
hospitals across the country and left many patients and their relations
lamenting.
For the ordinary Nigerian who can barely
afford quality health care in a country with one of the highest maternal
and infant mortality rates in the world, two major points highlighted
by the NMA resolutions stick out:
“That government should expedite the
passage of the National Health Bill (NHB), and extend Universal Health
Coverage to cover 100 per cent of Nigerians and not 30 per cent as
currently prescribed by National Health Insurance Scheme.
“Government should as a matter of urgency
set up a health trust fund that will enhance the upgrading of all
hospitals in Nigeria.”
According to the NMA, the body was
“taking this painful route” of going on an indefinite strike “in order
to save the health care delivery system from anarchy that is imminent.”
“The 24-point demand can be looked at
holistically in three categories; the administration of health care
delivery system in Nigeria, the renumeration of doctors, and the health
benefits that the general populace should have,” the Publicity
Secretary, NMA, Lagos chapter, Dr. Peter Ogunnubi, told SUNDAY PUNCH.
At a press briefing during the week, the
NMA President, Dr. Kayode Obembe, expressed disappointment over the
deadlock in negotiation between the body and the Federal Government.
He said, “We had a meeting with the
Federal Government. We tabled our minimal demands; the government did
not agree with NMA, but there is no end point. Some were referred to the
court. There was no end point. While this was going on, the government
was issuing out circulars favouring other health workers.”
While Nigerians wait for this latest
impasse to be resolved, many are groaning under the burden of this
costly stalemate in the health sector.
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