Health Committee of the House of Representatives, yesterday, asked the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, to apologise to Nigerians over the “unpatriotic” industrial strike embarked upon by medical doctors in the country.
It will be recalled that the NMA on July 1, 2014, proceeded on an industrial action and deserted public hospitals and other health institutions nation-wide on the account of unmet demands, including appointing a Surgeon-General as Minister of Health by the Federal Government.
But after 55 days, the association on Sunday, August 25, 2014, called off the strike and ordered doctors back to work.
However, during the period of the industrial action, the country witnessed the out-break of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, via late Mr. Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian-American who was in the country for an ECOWAS event.
So far, amid other reported deaths arising from the absence of medical doctors in the public health institutions, the EVD had claimed the lives of four Nigerians outside Sawyer’s.
Addressing journalists in Abuja yesterday, on the suspension of the NMA strike, Chairman, House of Representatives’ Committee on Health, Ndudi Elumelu, said it was not enough for NMA to call off the strike, but should apologise to Nigerians over the “avoidable” deaths, regretting that the NMA shunned all entreaties and acted to the contrary.
He said: “The leadership of NMA has been described as unpatriotic even by other Nigerian doctors, as well as members of the public in view of health challenges confronting the nation and the scourge of Ebola Virus Disease, which erupted during the strike period.
“Patriotic Nigerians both home and abroad have passionately condemned the action of the current leadership of the NMA.
“The committee has a final word for NMA. The NMA has suspended the strike, but it has failed to do one thing: the NMA failed to apologise to Nigerians. The NMA should apologise to Nigerians for all the inconveniences and lives that were lost during the strike.

seriously speaking, if Nigerians decide to demand apologies from the national assemly for their ineptitude, most of them would be dead and still have their apologies not accepted.

if any institution has failed in this country ,its the national assembly whose actions and inactions are worse than those of the executive arm of our government.

This elumelu guy should shut the hell up!! the effrontery of this politicians is flabbergasting, it is he and his likes that collapsed d health sector in d first place

there was an EVD outbreak and the Govt which has failed to provide PPE kits for doctors, insist they resume to go and die!!

61 doctors and other health workers av died in guinea God knows aw many will die in nigeria

Those guys in the national assembly are jokers! They should 1st apolgise for all the damage they have caused this country sending us behind in development while mismanaging our common wealth, the shame and d disrepute those cows in abgada brought to this nation while exchanging punches in d floor of the house...
While they are doing that , they should also apologise for using state funds to embark on medical tourism, while leaving our healthcare to rot

Mbong! Meanwhile, where the is source," sauce" or "stew" of this info?!

They should tell fg to apologize to Nigerian for failing to fulfill his own side of the agreement since 2009 ,

Nonsense. Why should they apologise? Has the FG apologized for failing 2 honour its agreement with the doctors in the first place. Even as we speak,FG says it cannot pay their arrears till next year and yet they suspended the strike. Elumelu should rather the FG 2 apologize 2 nigerians
BTW he should look inside that his house. We need apologies from them ..

thaqib: Nonsense. Why should they apologise? Has the FG apologized for failing 2 honour its agreement with the doctors in the first place. Even as we speak,FG says it cannot pay their arrears till next year and yet they suspended the strike. Elumelu should rather the FG 2 apologize 2 nigerians
BTW he should look inside that his house. We need apologies from them ..

They both failed in their own way. That strike was unnecessary.

I think the leadership of nma should apologise to Nigerians for they betrayed their fellow and messed up the strike. They should be ready to accept anything from any fool.

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Nigeria is a country that hates itself!, I thought the primary duty of a doctor is to save lifes but in Nigeria doctors would allow a patient to die because of card

The strike was too political than professional and the leadership of NMA knew that from day one hence the unpopularity.

Demdem2:

The same was said about ASUU. Political my foot.
Welldone NMA. Only if we have a very responsive govt.........the strike wouldn't have lasted one week.

Thanks jare. Every strike is political according to govt cronies! D govt of d day which they support is Neva wrong!

blackmailing doctors with the Hippocratic oath! Horrible country!

abacrested: Nigeria is a country that hates itself!, I thought the primary duty of a doctor is to save lifes but in Nigeria doctors would allow a patient to die because of card

Dats what ur govt would av us do!
Its d style of your health sector. U pay for everything in d hospital. Even the wheel chair!