Piqued by the sack of 788 doctors in the employment of the Lagos State Government, the Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has condemned the non-challant attitude and failure of Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola to recall experienced medical doctors back to work, which has now crippled medical services in the state.
The party said the governor’s negligence and its stance has caused avoidable deaths in the state.
Addressing newsmen on Tuesday at the state party secretariat, the Chairman of the party, Hon. Olatunji Shelle, posited that the situation calls for dialogue and not the sacking of the doctors.
He said the doctors were only demanding for the full implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure but instead of Fashola to finetune negotiation, he decided to sack the doctors.
Shelle said: “The doctors are demanding the full implementation of CONMESS which is to doctors Nationwide, their minimum wage scale. This scale had actually been agreed to by LASG in 2011 after duly considering its financial implications. As a matter of fact, to reach the agreement, the LASG demoted doctors by six steps and only about 29Million Naira is the outstanding sum to fully implement the CONMESS!
“Our Party’s stance is therefore based on the reasons that: i) The ratio of doctor to patient in Lagos which used to be an abysmal 1:14,545 is now 1:50,000 as against the global standard of 1:1000; the doctors had called off the warning strike; the matter of the dispute was already before the Federal High Court and all parties ought to maintain status quo and the doctors had submitted to negotiation on the Sunday night preceding the ‘Mass sack’ Monday.
“We repeat again that the mass sack lacks any logic or common sense, but sheer rascality. This is so because the NMA had waded into the dispute to pacify the doctors.
“But the ACN government in the state further showed its lack of experience, arrogance and anti masses tendencies when it hurriedly evicted the doctors from their quarters in a most illegal, fascist and barbaric manner.
“The hurry and manner of the eviction only gives credence to the rumor that the immediate past Governor of the state has acquired the said Doctors’ quarters. It would be recalled that in March 2011, the former Governor counseled Governor Fashola to sack the striking doctors. It is our strong belief that this Mass Sack and eviction were premeditated. The former Governor, the Commissioner for Health, the Attorney General and Governor Fashola are all culpable in the matter of all deaths recorded as a result of the mass sack. They shall all be brought to book.
“In the meantime, we appeal to the medical doctors at the Federal Medical Centers to compassionately call off their strike for the sake of the common man. While we strongly agree with their solidarity thrust, we beg them to resume duties as indeed this is a self acclaimed popular Government that WILL remain adamant, recalcitrant and bereft of humility. Why then beat a dead horse?”