To mitigate the effects of the strike planned by the Joint Health Workers Union (JOHESU), and the Association of Allied Health Professionals for May 3, the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has directed all doctors nationwide to remain at their duty posts and work relentlessly to render uninterrupted services, particularly emergency cases,in all the hospitals during the planned industrial action.
The President of NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, said in a statement made available to THISDAY yesterday: “In this wise, all Chief Medical Directors/Medical Directors are advised to provide undiluted support to doctors to enable them effectively provide quality uninterrupted healthcare services to Nigerians, by providing security, and ensuring accessto hospital materials, equipments and other healthcare facilities in the hospitals.
“We assure all Nigerians that NMA shall continue to promote professionalism, patient-centred care and international best practices.”
Enabulele also lauded Wednesday’s resolution of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) discarding the report of the retired Justice Bello Gusau-led presidential committee on a harmonious work relationship among health workers and professional groupsin the health sector on the grounds thatthe report was bound to trigger more disharmony, ill-will and conflagrations in the health sector rather than resolvethe disharmony.
“This highly commendable decision of President Goodluck Jonathan and the distinguished members of the Federal Executive Council confirms the unequivocal position of the NMA that the report was evidently premeditated, biased, unjust and extremely jaundiced with the unholy intent to serve some predetermined ends, particularly as it threw caution tothe wind and stood logic and international best practices in the health sector on their heads.
“NMA salutes the courage of President Jonathan, and members of the Federal Executive Council for refusing to be intimidated by the outright blackmail, falsehood, gangsterism and street-like agitations of some support staff in the hospitals who, rather than face the reality of their roles in the health sector, have decided to abandon their job descriptions and qualifications for an unnecessary equality beauty contest with medical doctors.
“We equally commend the decision of President Jonathan, and the Federal Executive Council to constitute an independent committee to physically visit some foreign countries to see howthe health system is managed in those countries, particularly in terms of the roles and relationships of professionals in the health sector.”
He commended the federal government for this “courageous” resolution, which would help enthrone sanity and international best practices in Nigeria’s health sector.
“We repeat that Nigeria cannot operate her health system in isolation from what is internationally accepted,”he stated.
“For Nigeria’s health system to make progress, all the stakeholders and health workers must accept to imbibe international best practices.”
He called for the selection of individualswith the required experience, knowledge, unquestionable character and integrity, and unbiased disposition as the independent committee is constituted.
“Now that the report of the Presidential Harmony Committee has been rejected, we advise all players in the health sector to give peace a chance and focus more on patient-centred care rather than fissiparous tendencies and recurrent threats of strike action.
“By the decision of President Jonathan and the Federal Executive Council,
it should now be crystal clear to all thatno amount of blackmail, intimidation, falsehood and street-like agitation can sway Mr. President, the. Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu and members of the Federal Executive Council from doing what is internationally acceptable in Nigeria’s health sector, especially being widely travelled intellectuals with innate abilities and ideological clarity to appreciate reality.”

http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/nma-moves-to-ensure-uninterrupted-services-during-health-workers-strike/145989/

The associations gave ultimatum earlier on...

http://www.afriquejet.com/news/4840-strike-nigeria-health-workers-give-21-day-ultimatum.html

The fight is basically against doctors,so doctors has strategised to frustrate the planned strike.

Talk is cheap Ejyk! We all know the effect ds strike wil av had in our hospitals if it was later embarked on.

Secondly, ur NMA president has once more shot himself on d foot by encouraging physicians to encroach into oda ppls profession. I just hope U guys wldnt cry foul wen odas emulate ds approach of 'providing quality uninterrupted healthcare services to Nigerians' wen next U embark on ur routine strike action.