The Nigerian Medical Affiliation (NMA), Ogun chapter, says it can go on strike over poor working situations on the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum issued to the state authorities.
The affiliation’s chairman, Dr Kunle Ashimi, mentioned at a information convention in Abeokuta on Friday that the ultimatum, issued on June 7, would expire on Thursday.
In line with Ashimi, members may have no selection however to embark on strike until the federal government addresses their issues.
He talked about the non-payment of the reviewed CONMESS wage scale and failure to recruit new medical doctors as a number of the points requiring authorities consideration.
He famous that regardless of ongoing discussions with related authorities officers, there had solely been verbal assurances with out official commitments.
He, due to this fact, urged the residents of Ogun to name on the federal government to take obligatory steps to forestall the looming strike, which might disrupt healthcare companies throughout the state.
“The State Government Council of NMA Ogun issued a 21-day ultimatum to the state authorities on June 7, which can elapse on June 27.
“This indicated that industrial concord will not be assured after this date because the strain of labor on the few medical doctors holding forth is yielding dire penalties.
“Ongoing conversations with related authorities officers solely got here with verbal assurances however no official dedication but.
“Involved associates of NMA Ogun have been partaking the federal government on the necessity to begin the cost of the reviewed CONMESS wage scale for medical doctors within the state with the intention to encourage and retain those that haven’t left and to draw new ones.
“We use this chance to name on well-meaning residents of Ogun state to impress upon the Ogun authorities to do the needful to avert any industrial motion,” Ashimi mentioned.
The NMA chief mentioned Babcock College Instructing Hospital witnessed a month-to-month electrical energy invoice surge between N80 million and N100 million to N300 million.
He referred to as for concessions to be given to well being establishments to forestall elevated prices from being handed onto sufferers, doubtlessly making healthcare inaccessible for a lot of.
“Whereas we admire the zeal of the federal government to develop the vitality sector, we enchantment strongly that concessions be given to well being establishments.
“These humongous tariffs will finally be handed on to our poor sufferers, thereby driving them additional away from entry to acceptable healthcare companies,” he mentioned
On the Cholera outbreak, Ashimi mentioned there have been ongoing sensitisation programmes by the affiliation in collaboration with the Ministry of Well being and numerous media organisations.
He pressured the significance of preventive measures and supplied contact numbers as launched by the Commissioner for Well being, Dr Tomi Coker, to report suspected cholera instances.
He mentioned the instances can be handled freed from cost at designated amenities.
“We use this chance to enchantment to our individuals to imbibe preventive measures for the prevention of the unfold of Cholera.
“This contains avoiding open defecation, avoiding indiscriminate refuse dumping, washing arms repeatedly, washing vegetables and fruit properly earlier than consuming and treating water earlier than consuming it, both by boiling or treating it with chemical purifying brokers.
“We advocate that the place there isn’t any wherewithal to do that, two drops of plain family bleach in a litre of water is usually a good various.
“We additionally implore faculties to watch meals, fruit and snack distributors across the faculties to make sure that they observe correct hygiene.
“As properly, faculties ought to reintroduce handwashing stations prefer it was carried out in the course of the COVID-19 interval,” he mentioned.