texazzpete:

It can be argued that fighting for individual gain is for the best for Nigerians too. I want all the doctors treating me to be well fed, well rested and cheerful all the time. I will always support Medical doctors when they fight for improved conditions of service.

Eyeah, pele!

PSN president, bravo

bumfem: It was quite terrific on the Channels TV this morning. Pharm Akintayo,PSN president came in smoking. He actually hit the nail on the head. I never knew the guy was that cerebral.

The man that represent NMA was no match at all. Maope and Chemberlain ended up educating him on who Paramedics are. A high schl boy shouldn't miss those that go by the title 'paramedics'. The man should have saved himself of the embarrassment by allay himself of cheap internet services everywhere. Just google ''paramedics'' it gives u individuals that go by that title. In a bid to make a point, he ended up exposing his ignorance.

Borrowing the word of Pharm Akintayo as he quoted Wilson Churchil ''he that want peace does not prepare for war''
It is clear that the NMA does not want peace in the health sector and so JOHESU will give it everything that it deserves. 2014 shall be a very interesting year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! Guys.....
...

Wooowwww where was I? Pls could u give a summary? Where were they, who else was there? And all. Same to you tho.

That's cute.

WHY NMA IS EMBARKING ON A 5-DAY WARNING STRIKE ACTION


Rising from its Emergency Delegates Meeting (EDM) at Minna, Niger State capital on Saturday December 14, 2013, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) directed all Medical and Dental Practitioners in Nigeria's Public health sector to embark on a 5-day warning strike action beginning from Wednesday 18th December to Sunday 22nd December, 2013.

This short duration of the warning strike action which was adopted in deference to the yuletide season, is to precede a total strike action in the first month of the new year (2014).

It is worthy to note that the NMA had on 2nd September, 2013 issued a 21day ultimatum to the Federal Government of Nigeria in which the Association highlighted several issues bordering on some health sector challenges, absence of a regulatory environment for practice in the healthcare sector, workplace conditions/conditions of service and funding of healthcare in Nigeria.

It is most distressing to note that aside from the reconstitution and inauguration of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and other Health Regulatory Councils, none of the other issues contained in the ultimatum were given the deserved attention.

In appreciation of the possible impact of withdrawal of services by medical and dental practitioners in Nigeria, the NMA shifted her ultimatum three times (3) with 4 weeks apart, hoping and praying hard for Government to reciprocally respond and address the issues brought before her with a note of finality.


WHAT ARE THESE ISSUES?

A) Serial injustices done to doctors, particularly during the harmonization of salary structures in 1998/99 by the Federal Government and failure to correct fundamental errors in the existing salary structure for doctors.

The gross failure of government to address the serial injustices done to doctors, has led to the unacceptable reduction in the income and allowances of doctors with each level of promotion gained by doctors. This strange phenomenon unknown to labour laws has over time contributed significantly to the high level of brain drain of highly qualified Nigerian trained medical and dental practitioners to other countries where their services are better appreciated.


More disheartening is the fact that as we try to get government to redress the previous injustices, further attempts are made to create more injustices and escalate the crisis.

Painfully, we can report that there are over 3500 Nigerian trained physicians actively practicing in the United Kingdom. Many more are in the United States of America and other nations of the world, and several are still leaving on a daily basis. This is partly due to this defect as well as the unavailability of functional equipment/tools in the workplace, unhealthy competition in the health sector and an unconducive work environment.

It is for this reason that one Nigerian doctor attends to over 5000 patients, a doctor:patient ratio that is very far away from the real World Health Organization (WHO) prescription of one doctor to 600 patients. It is the resolve of the Association therefore to awaken government at all levels to address this demand.

Restating our understanding of the economic realities, we insist that Nigeria has all it takes to attract and retain the best medical work force in Nigeria rather than allowing our country to be drained of this very useful human resource.



B) Funding of the healthcare sector and the health of Nigerians

Improvement in Nigeria's budgetary allocation to the health sector.

NMA advocates an improvement in the budgetary allocation to the health sector to meet up with the required minimum of 15% of Nigeria's national budget. This is in line with the recommendation of the World Health Organization and the 2001 Abuja declaration of African Heads of Government.
In the event that the Nigerian government finds it difficult to move up from her average yearly budgetary allocation of 5-6% to health, the NMA advocates an irreducible minimum of 10% of Nigeria's annual budget for the health sector.

Without this bold attempt at resuscitating an anaemic public health care financing system, our country's hospitals would continue to groan in pains with over 70% of our citizens unable to have physical and financial access to them. Indeed, healthcare delivery will remain a scarce social service to more than 70% of our citizens.

Expansion of the Universal Health Coverage for all Nigerians by the provision of a minimum health package through a universal health fund.

Currently, Nigeria can only boast of a Universal Health Coverage of less than 6%, whereas less endowed countries like Rwanda, Kenya and Ghana boast of a Universal Health Coverage of over 60%. Nigeria has no excuse not to have a Universal Health Coverage of over 75%.
Most distressingly, we bemoan the slow pace of actualisation of the National Health Bill whose provisions would guarantee a minimum basic package of healthcare for every Nigerian. If we, the custodians of healthcare delivery in Nigeria would not raise alarm over this, who will?


C) Other Health sector Challenges, including the revitalization of health infrastructure at all levels, restoration of professionalism, e.t.c.


In the face of overt difficulties and sufferings, NMA is pained that it had to embark on this action at this point in time. The last time NMA declared a national strike was 6 years ago. It is therefore with the traditional signature tune of empathy that the strike has been given a human face.

The Association while restating her resolve to ensure the reversal of the afore-stated destructive trends in the health sector, calls on all Nigerians from all backgrounds to appeal passionately to government to do the needful to avert the full blown strike already scheduled to begin by 6 January 2013.


A stitch in time, though belated, can still save nine!



Dr. Osahon Enabulele
President, Nigerian Medical Association;
Vice President (WAR), Commonwealth Medical Association


Chikadibia.

So NMA put B and C(B is important tho) just to crave the sympathy of Nigerians. When 'A' is actually what they're crying about. So if govt cancels the skipping 4 JOHESU, the doctors abroad wee come back home?? Option B is a more worthy cause to fight for, that which all health professionals must fight for TOGETHER.

Pls MBBS graduates, put on ur thinking cap and get back to us. A stitch in time, can still save nine.

adeola_drg: So NMA put B and C(B is important tho) just to crave the sympathy of Nigerians. When 'A' is actually what they're crying about. So if govt cancels the skipping 4 JOHESU, the doctors abroad wee come back home?? Option B is a more worthy cause to fight for, that which all health professionals must fight for TOGETHER.

Pls MBBS graduates, put on ur thinking cap and get back to us. A stitch in time, can still save nine.

We never asked FG to cancel skipping for JOHESU. We said skipping should be across board i.e. All healthcare workers should be skipped with no exception. In other words Doctors were left out.

adeola_drg: So NMA put B and C(B is important tho) just to crave the sympathy of Nigerians. When 'A' is actually what they're crying about. So if govt cancels the skipping 4 JOHESU, the doctors abroad wee come back home?? Option B is a more worthy cause to fight for, that which all health professionals must fight for TOGETHER.

Pls MBBS graduates, put on ur thinking cap and get back to us. A stitch in time, can still save nine.

I always knew OOU is a terrible school, don't bother to quote me we'll see what happens next year

Tobbie9: I always knew OOU is a terrible school, don't bother to quote me we'll see what happens next year

Tobi, I use to respect u. Didn't know u were this stupid, plain stupid. Don't ever quote me in ur life again. What does my school av to do with this?? Tot u were one of those med studs with bright futures, mehn medicine is in trouble. 2012 dokita competition was won by my terrible school and this years was won by unilorin. That's not bad for a terrible school, is it? Once again don't quote me ever in ur life again.

judebenameh: We never asked FG to cancel skipping for JOHESU. We said skipping should be across board i.e. All healthcare workers should be skipped with no exception. In other words Doctors were left out.

Noted.

judebenameh: We never asked FG to cancel skipping for JOHESU. We said skipping should be across board i.e. All healthcare workers should be skipped with no exception. In other words Doctors were left out.

The article said this...

The gross failure of government to address the
serial injustices done to doctors, has led to the
unacceptable reduction in the income and
allowances of doctors with each level of promotion
gained by doctors. This strange phenomenon
unknown to labour laws has over time contributed
significantly to the high level of brain drain of
highly qualified Nigerian trained medical and dental
practitioners to other countries where their
services are better appreciated.

How did this skipping lead to high level of brain drain. I assume u're a doctor, pls I want this explained in figures if u can. If this skipping is implemented for the doctors, wah does it change? How much more do they earn? In figures plss. God's blessings.

@judebenameh.......what do you get to gain by spreading falsehood and deceit this way.

Skipping was not an issues of yesterday. You may recall that physicians and health professionals used to enter civil service at GL8 but Olikoye Ransome Kuti during Babangida regime unilaterally moved doctors to GL 10 leaving others at GL8. This mark the beginning of injustices in health sector. This gave birth to aggitation and disharmony. Therefore, doctors are the best beneficiary of skipping in health sector.

The cry about error on physicians salary scale was rather hilarious bc CONMESS was negotiated for by the NMA .I can still recall the then NMA president appearing on NTA thanking the Yaradua govt that conmess was the best thing that ever happened to doctors in Nigeria. Thesame document has suddenly become an error and injustice.
The most inconsistent people I have ever met on earth.

@judebenemeh.....your post suggest u are ignorant of the real reason NMA went on strike. I do not blame u many of my doctor friends too are not familiar with the reason for the strike.
Pls get this to your skull..... Skipping has come to stay. Any attempt by govt to allow physicians to skip the second time without commensurate make for JOHESU will be met with mother of all strike by JOHESU the one that will put final stop to all injustices and impunity in health sector.

To be continued...

Laalamed: I know u a student. It shows in ur comment. Ask ur lecturers who are pharmaceutical physcians? Better still, ask google. It is not surprise that u do not roles of pharmacologist in healthcare 'cos u a bloody student. U are not sure if u would complete pharmcy sch. I am off now. I will educate so u would not be noise makers like other pharmacists.

hope u know their role?

smh capitalist doctors... which way blackman?

So tell this forum ur own position in ur class then.And hw many of ur classmates were able to seek admission for medicine.
Pls sentiments apart,be truthful to ur self.
I am nt a Medical Doctor,i am only saying the truth.
Most of these people dat ended up with paramedical courses were denied admission to read medicine.
Being able to write or speak english is not a qualification for being able to read any course u chose to,there are prerequisites.Some people are very brillant and intelligent,of which the greater number of this set of gifted people read medicine.

wengerjay: So tell this forum ur own position in ur class then.And hw many of ur classmates were able to seek admission for medicine.
Pls sentiments apart,be truthful to ur self.
I am nt a Medical Doctor,i am only saying the truth.
Most of these people dat ended up with paramedical courses were denied admission to read medicine.
Being able to write or speak english is not a qualification for being able to read any course u chose to,there are prerequisites.Some people are very brillant and intelligent,of which the greater number of this set of gifted people read medicine.

you are incoherent, illogical and somehow irrational.
I pray thee, tell me what points you are trying to pass across¿
I smell some complexes here, more like the inferior ones tho.
No offence

nouveaux:
you are incoherent, illogical and somehow irrational.
I pray thee, tell me what points you are trying to pass across¿
I smell some complexes here, more like the inferior ones tho.
No offence

may be u are the one that has problem. do not rush to judge.

President Goodluck Jonathan has agreed to
appoint a Surgeon-General of the Federation
as demanded by the Nigeria Medical
Association (NMA), a competent source in
the Presidency, has said.
The source, who pleaded anonymity, made
the disclosure to the News Agency of Nigeria
(NAN) on Thursday in Abuja, that Jonathan
gave this concession after a meeting he
summoned to avert the NMA Jan. 6 planned
industrial action.
The source said the person to be appointed
to occupy the position would be a medical
doctor.
It will be recalled that one of the demands of
the NMA is that the Federal Government
should appoint a medical doctor as
Surgeon-General of the Federation.
The source also said the president had
agreed that the call duty allowance of the
doctors running into billions of naira be
paid.
The source said that following the demand
of the association, the appointee would be
responsible for public health.
“The government has taken a decision to
appoint a Surgeon-General of the Federation
who will be a medical doctor and will be
responsible for public health.
“That appointment will be announced
soon,’’ the source said.
The source said Jonathan had directed the
Ministry of Health to collaborate with
Ministries of Finance, Trade and Investment
in consulting with medical practitioners to
supporting private investors to build state-
of-the-art hospitals in the country.
The decisions, the source explained, were
aimed at promoting local potential,
improving fiscal policy on medical
equipment and checking the growth of
medical tourism.
The source said Jonathan also directed that
before any government official would be
allowed to travel abroad for medicals,
government must first be satisfied that no
such medical services exist in country.
According to the source, the president has
also agreed to reform the National Health
Insurance Scheme to make it more
productive.
The source said the president had also
consented to the demand of NMA to make its
representation to the Nigeria Institute of
Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru.
The closed door meeting which was the
fourth since December 2013 was attended
by Gov. Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta,
Ministers of Health and Labour, Prof.
Onyebuchi Chukwu, and Chukwuemeka
Wogu.
The meeting held at the presidential Villa
was also attended by the Director-General of
Budget Office, Dr Bright Okogu; and the
Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes
and Wages Commission, Chief Richard
Egbule.
It will be recalled that the government had
earlier met another demand by the NMA by
re-constituting the Medical and Dental
Council of Nigeria.
In an interview with State House
correspondents after the meeting Uduaghan
had said that the president conceded some
demands by NMA to avert the strike.
Uduaghan, who did not reveal the
concessions, said that the nation could not
afford another strike in the medical sector.
The governor, who is a medical doctor, said
the government team would later meet with
the NMA on the new development.

wengerjay: So tell this forum ur own position in ur class then.And hw many of ur classmates were able to seek admission for medicine.

yea, many might av wanted to study med. Surg. And do u know Y? - because of the way Nigeria is, in d sense that a secondarian hardly gets to know that there are people like Pharmacist,med. lab., e.t.c. Even me at a time, I tot Nurses are female Doctors.

In essence, their Job description aint well defined.

Pls sentiments apart,be truthful to ur self.
I am nt a Medical Doctor,i am only saying the truth.
Most of these people dat ended up with paramedical courses were denied admission to read medicine.
Being able to write or speak english is not a qualification for being able to read any course u chose to,there are prerequisites.

One thing u must knw is dat, they weren't denied Med. Surg. Becos they wern't good for it but, becos they myt av nt reached d cut off (which is gotten from a statistics of the number of applicants with respect to their scores and admission space available in d school) or, havn't u heard of those who were being withdrawn in 1st year, 2nd year and so due to academic incompetence? If they were best fit, why were they withdrawn?

Anyone who knows what he is doing and does it well will forever never be intimediated by the fact that he wanted studying Med. Surg. And weren't offered. Afterall, we know our Country!

Some people are very brillant and intelligent,of which the greater number of this set of gifted people read medicine.

And some people who read and graduated for med. Schools were never best nor brilliant in their sec. School_ they picked up while in the university.

Mind you, once a professional Course, always Professional. So, others were also gifted and brilliant or have u forgotten were u came from(Nigeria)?, have u forgotten how corrupt the system is on given admission? Come-on, talk well.