“We Won’t Call Off Strike Because Of Ebola Virus” – Doctors

As anxiety mounted across Nigeria following the report of first case of the Ebola Virus Disease, striking medical doctors have ruled out the possibility of calling off the strike to attend to the national emergency.
The Lagos State Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Dr Tope Ojo, said the ongoing strike was not called because of Ebola and cannot be called off because of the threat of the viral infection in the state.

Ojo who spoke at a press briefing organised by the newly elected officials of NMA in the state said, “We are not on strike because of Ebola. It was never part of our demands. It wasn’t our fault”.

While assuring that the doctors would continue to partner with the State government to monitor the trend of the disease to check its spread, he blamed the on-going crisis in the health sector on the Federal Government’s mismanagement if the sector.

He said, “Why should a government be willing to concede the headship of the medical institutions to the hands of allied health workers?

“Will the same government not concede to a hostess the right to fly a plane or Court bailiff the post of a judge or the head of a university maintenance unit to be the vice chancellor because of the so-called opportunistic explanation of a team work?”

Speaking on the contentious issue of granting the prayers of other health workers to become consultants , Ojo said that decision of the government if allowed will only create unending anarchy.

Ojo explained that “The title of ‘ Consultant’ in medical practice is preserved exclusively for a doctor that has gone through a minimum of six years excruciating full time, postgraduate academic training.

“The patient is traditionally registered under a consultant, who owns the patient and reserves the right of success or failure in the chain of events. We therefore warn the Nigerian people of the inherent danger of this conspiracy to deceive and confuse them as they attend hospitals for their health needs.

“NMA is not against the normal professional advancement of any allied health professional. Our position is that the situation must not arise where there will be anarchy and disruption of the chain of command that is bound to jeopardise patients’ lives,” he warned.
He added that a situation where doctors are paid N5000.00 monthly allowance for hazard is not only laughable but unbelievable.

Ojo said, “A doctor’s life can be lost in an instance when exposed to fatal illnesses such as Ebola, Lassa fever or he may be subjected to a life-long suffering from HIV or Hepatitis B infection.”