Expert Urges Resident Doctors to Negotiate with FG
The spokesperson of National Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Tayo Haastrup, on Friday urged resident doctors to negotiate with the Federal Government in order to be called back. Haastrup told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja that there were other health workers still functioning in the sector but the services of the doctors were needed.

“It is quite unfortunate that it has to get to this stage. Government expected that the doctors will have at least temporarily suspended the strike with the national emergency on Ebola.“As a responsible and a responsive government, what else can the government do?“We still have the consultants who also we expected will comeback to work; we have other health sector workers who have also been functioning in the system.

“Talking about the laboratory scientists, the nurses, the physiotherapists, the Pharmacists, they are all on ground.’’Haastrup advised the resident doctors to find a way to negotiate and appeal to government to rescind its action.Dr. Prosper Igboeli, a gynaecologist, said the Federal Government had been so patient with the doctors because their demand could not be compared to the suffering of Nigerians.Igboeli, who is the Managing Director of M and M Hospital, Fertility and IVF Centre, Karshi, FCT, said the strike was not good for the health sector in the country.

“This is very dangerous to the health sector, everyday people are involved in motor accident, see the issue of Ebola, they should have sympathised with Nigerians.“So, whatever decision the government has taken is in the right direction,’’ Igboeli said.Igboeli said the doctors should remember their oath, which he said, was “a prerequisite for successful medical practice.”