In spite of the imminent threat of the Ebola Virus Disease in Lagos, striking medical doctors under the auspices of Lagos State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association, have said they will not suspend the ongoing strike. The Chairman of the Association, 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.

He said, “We are not on strike because of Ebola. It was never part of our demands. It wasn’t our fault.” However, he said the doctors would continue to partner with the State government to monitor the trend of the disease to check its spread. Ojo, who spoke at a press briefing organised by the newly elected officials of NMA in the state blamed the on-going crisis in the health sector on the Federal Government’s mismanagement of the sector.

“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. “The title ‘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.

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.”

http://dailyindependentnig.com/2014/07/wont-call-strike-ebola-virus-threat-lagos-nma/

Fear.

Nigerians don't like risking their lives for anything. Have you seen LUTH, GH Island or any GH? Do we even have protective suits for hazardous illnesses? Health workers are more likely to catch it than regular people. So the strike will linger and doctors will refuse to go back.

My brother has already given out tips: I've got hand sanitizer and I may end up getting plastic gloves and a face-mask. No-one is sure if it can turn airborne at close contact (100m), which is what to expect if you use the Lagos public transport. And danfo conductors, wetin concern am with hand sanitizer, even the girl who sold me mine at the phramacy was telling me "only Jesus saves" and not using hand sanitizer till I eyed her, she laughed and used a bit. And Nigerians are forever coughing/sneezing into their hands or turning away to their side to do so/spit, then wiping on their clothes and handing you money.
Our hospitals aren't equipped to deal with this and should they find 5 more victims, most will shut down in panic (those head matrons at GH will be the first to abscond).

It ok cos i know that doctors are not invisible to ebola virus.

Heartless mufus, not in anyway different from our politicians..

heartless doctors

Nice one

Will hate it when NMA swallows their own spits soon.

Opportunity for these idiots to press their demands! Mtcheewwww,God is watching u guys NMA.

This Ebola seems superior to Hiv o... Disease self dey upgrade...abeg wetin person go do?

Atimes it's better to not say anything, you'd make more sense keeping shut..

Wicked ppl they call themselves doctors
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lazy bones

These 'johesuites' above no dey tire?
How many of u talking trash are willing 2 get in A bus with a confirmed ebola virus infected patient for just 1 minute?
But yall can say anything about drs who are locked up in wards all day wit patients wit all sorts(hepatitis,hiv,ebola,lassa) for N5,000 monthly hazard allowance(diaris goduoo)...
As a matter Of fact i think all health workers(cleaners included)should recieve a hazard allowance of nothing less than N100,000.
Not some ppl fighting 2 head hospitals or 2 be called consultants...get ur priorities right people.
PS: ebolavirus has no cure presently...once you get it,YOU WILL DIE!!

jayseehe: heartless doctors

Heartless nigerians...like docs are not humans too...

Lol you want make dem die?

make nurse consultants n d lab scientists dat are now heading d hospitals do d job na.... foolish nigerians.... dats y dis country has refused to progress....

tunesoft:
Heartless nigerians...like docs are not humans too...

I guess you are a doctor
it's the average man on the street that suffers this NMA strike most
it doesn't affect the FG, they don't patronise u guyz
it only affects his political career a little

Lab rats/scientists... do the needful. Since you want Same title and privileges as doctors, then do their work.

o God,I don't want to hear that name Ebola again....how can someone wake up this early morning with Ebola on FP...(close tabs)

The doctors make demands. The government should reason and provide them for the benefit of all.


Doctors work 24/7 taking care of their patients but these patients seem to care less about what happens to those doctors.

In Liberia, the chief doctor in charge of treating people with the Ebola is said to be under treatment for the same ebola virus.

How can a Nigerian doctor, who was never appreciated all the while, go ahead and be involved when all of their demands for better healthcare infrastructure, for remuneration and for the protection of the dignity of their practice have been denied them. The same Nigerian populace, who suffer more from all these should be drumming the need to see to the needs of the doctors into the government's ears but they are too driven by sentiments and their judgemental attitude to see what is really going on.

People are dying in case none is close to you due to these strikes and the doctors have nothing to lose since the private hospitals are owned by them. Nigerians should be asking the government to do what is right!

Nurses, pharmacists etc are not consultants. They are doing almost nothing at the hospitals right now.

The dignity of the great profession must be protected.and Doctors have every right/conscience to do that.

The government has to see reason and the populace need to be reasonable as well.


God bless Nigeria.

dexterinc2003: These 'johesuites' above no dey tire?
How many of u talking trash are willing 2 get in A bus with a confirmed ebola virus infected patient for just 1 minute?
But yall can say anything about drs who are locked up in wards all day wit patients wit all sorts(hepatitis,hiv,ebola,lassa) for N5,000 monthly hazard allowance(diaris goduoo)...
As a matter Of fact i think all health workers(cleaners included)should recieve a hazard allowance of nothing less than N100,000.
Not some ppl fighting 2 head hospitals or 2 be called consultants...get ur priorities right people.
PS: ebolavirus has no cure presently...once you get it,YOU WILL DIE!!

Will the hazard allowance protects them from the hazard, it will rather make sense if the strike is about equiping the government hospitals better.

jayseehe:
I guess you are a doctor
it's the average man on the street that suffers this NMA strike most
it doesn't affect the FG, they don't patronise u guyz
it only affects his political career a little

That is why Nigerians should tell the government to be reasonable.

Imagine spending up to 9yrs of your life in medical school onlyto get into a crappy hospital for work with no infrastructure and then have to 'compete' with people who spent three years in training as support staff, to then come ahead asking to boss you, in something they were not trained for?

darlingfather: Opportunity for these idiots to press their demands! Mtcheewwww,God is watching u guys NMA.

Did u really say, Idiots??

I bet it that even when given a dictionary, you still might not get it.

God help us ... Now I can see ... End time is at hand!

Yinkay:

Will the hazard allowance protects them from the hazard, it will rather make sense if the strike is about equiping the government hospitals better.

.

It will not. It will act as a form of compensation to them.

And moreover an average doctor works 24hours for 15days in a month and 12hours for the other 15days, that is to say they have only another 12hours for 15days to spend with their family, so me think they should be paid N1million for hazard.

And these nurses only works based on night/day shift for 5days in federal hospitals.

Lecturers receives not less than 40k in my school as hazard allowee.

“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?”

FOOLISH PRESIDENT EVER RULETH - GEJ

.....

All I read is "sick Nigerians are our leverage, the more they are, the greater our bargaining power will be"