NMA strike: Doctors cripple Emergency Unit, others

Striking doctors at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, Delta State crippled the Emergency Unit of the hospital on Tuesday.
Patients, including those brought on emergency grounds, were not only rejected, those on admission were hurriedly prepared for transfer to other hospitals.
Doctors complied strictly with the indefinite strike declared by the national body of the association over the failure of the Federal Government to meet its 24 point demands, including salary increase and other welfare packages of the association.
The association had demanded the appointment of four DCMACs for teaching hospitals and three for FMCs “to assist CMACs whose statutory responsibilities are too heavy for any single individual to handle. Directors in other government agencies are supported by several deputy directors; why not the CMAC who is also a director? Such a DCMAC must have same qualifications as the CMAC.”
Other demands include the skipping of Grade level 12 (CONMESS 2) in the health sector for medical doctors, and that the title of consultant should not be applied to any other worker other than medical doctors in the health sector, amongst others.
The association three days ago vowed to in Abuja to revisit the total withdrawal of services it suspended on January 5, this year should the Federal Government ignore them.
The way and manner relatives of patients across public hospitals in the oil rich state had hectic time evacuating their loved ones to private clinics was sympathetic.
The state Chairman of the association, Dr. Uyi Osarenkhoe, who confirmed the compliance, said his colleagues in the state had partially withdrawn their services but “we are sympathetic enough to ensure that in-patients are in proper condition to be moved out of the institution”, maintaining that “out-patients are being turned back.”
Osarenkhoe continued: “We are not taking new emergencies except those cases that were admitted before now. We are attending to them in preparation for them to be taken away by their relatives maybe to private clinics.”
Other health workers were however at work work as the strike by NMA did not affect them.
The 14-day ultimatum was issued by the national leadership of the association through its National President, Dr. Kayode Obembe.