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-------- Original message --------
From: "THE NIGERIAN DOCTORS nigeriandoctors@yahoo.co.uk [Nigeriandoctorsblog]"
Date:30/01/2015 08:25 (GMT+01:00)
To: Nigerian Doctors
Subject: TEXT OF WORLD PRESS CONFERENCE BY NMA-FCT ON ASSAULT/ATTACK OF DOCTORS AT THEIR DUTY POSTS

 
Dear All, find below the text of Press Release read by the Chairman, NMA-FCT, Dr Fatima Z. Mairami at the the World Press Conference held today at Gwarinpa General Hospital (Venue of the index assault), Life Camp, Abuja on the assault/attacks on medical doctors on duty by JOHESU members.




NIGERIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION, FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY – ABUJA
 (NMA-FCT), WEDNESDAY 29THJANUARY, 2015
PRESS RELEASE 
 
PHYSICAL HARASSMENT AND ASSAULT OF MEDICAL DOCTORS ON DUTY BY STRIKING JOHESU MEMBERS AND THEIR AGENTS IN THE FCT:
BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!
 
PREAMBLE
The attention of the Nigerian Medical Association, Federal Capital Territory – Abuja (NMA-FCT) has been drawn to the violent assault, physical harassment and threats to lives of medical doctors at their duty posts in public health facilities in Abuja by some members of the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) who have purportedly been on strike since last year. This press release has become necessary to alert the concerned authorities and all stakeholders to safeguard the lives our members and other health workers who have continued to render essential health services and saving lives in the midst of the needless strike.
 
THREAT TO SECURITY AND LIVES OF DOCTORS
We wish to chronicle the following events:
1.     On Wednesday, the 21st of January, 2015, in a bizarre act of aggression, members of JOHESU invaded the premises of General Hospital, Gwarinpa brandishing dangerous weapons and unleashed terror on all personnel who had kept the hospital functioning including medical doctors. While many ran for their lives, a very senior medical doctor was terribly manhandled. The attackers broke down the entrance to the main block and that of the laboratory and shot canisters of tear gas within the hospital, causing severe respiratory distress to members of staff and defenseless patients, including premature babies. The senior medical doctor, an asthmatic nearly lost her life to the incident.
 
2.     On Thursday, the 22nd of January, 2015, members of JOHESU invaded the National Hospital Abuja, intimidated, harassed, drove out all the personnel working in the various units of the hospitals and locked up some departments in the hospital. They went about their actions with impunity and ransacked the entire hospital driving away recently employed health workers.
 
3.     On Monday, the 26th of January, 2015, members of JOHESU invaded the Research Laboratory in the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, where they harassed and physically assaulted a Consultant Pathologist together and his Research Assistants. 
 
These are but a few of the reported repugnant acts of thuggery and gangsterism carried out by these JOHESU members since the commencement of their strike action, ostensibly angered by the fact that Doctors have been successfully attending to patients in all hospitals, notwithstanding their strike action. 
 
 
 
 
DOCTORS ARE NOT ON STRIKE
NMA-FCT wishes to place on record that DOCTORS ARE NOT ON STRIKE and have been working diligently to deliver services within limits of human resources, ingenuity, intellect and innovation required to save lives. We report that clinical services are ongoing in various Government hospitals:
 
1.        At the Federal Staff Hospital, Jabi - Abuja. The hospital is fully operational
 
2.        At the National Hospital Abuja, all out-patient clinics are running fully, accident and emergencies are being catered for at the National Trauma Centre, Special Treatment Clinics are fully operational. Emergency care is being provided for both adults and paediatrics. The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and the adult Intensive Care Unit are both fully operational. Surgical services are also being rendered. 
 
3.        At the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, all clinical services are fully operational. Out-patient clinics are being run, the Labour Ward, Emergency Paediatric Unit and Special Baby Care Unit are fully operational. Radiological and other investigational services are operational and elective surgical cases are being attended.
 
4.        All the FCT General Hospitals are running clinical services.
 
 
 
OUR OBSERVATIONS
Whereas these JOHESU members that have been carrying out the various acts of brigandage, assault and harassment are known to Management of Hospitals, as regards their identities, we demand that the full weight of the law is applied and should not be swept under the carpet.
 
Whereas, without prejudice to rights of individuals or groups to embark on industrial action, we believe the deliberate acts of locking up of hospital equipment, consumables, reagents and facilities such as theatres and labour wards by JOHESU members and disappearing with the keys, as if they were private property, is unethical, condemnable and tantamount to unmitigated impunity and a clear breach of public service rules which require investigation, restoration and appropriate sanctions by the authorities of the affected health facilities.
 
Whereas, many JOHESU members have been sneaking themselves, their family members and cronies to access healthcare services in the same hospitals in which they are on strike and doctors have been magnanimous in rendering care to all and sundry,  JOHESU members are repaying this noble gesture by violently assaulting, harassing and “tear gassing” doctors at their duty posts.
 
Whereas, doctors have never been against the agitations of any particular health worker as long as the traditions of the medical professions which we swore to protect are guarded and preserved, doctors will never lock up emergency rooms, consulting areas, theatres or any other area of their core operation because as lawful professionals, we recognise our rights and privileges as employees; and cannot be the advocate and judge of our own matter. 
 
Whereas, as leaders of the Health Sector, doctors would strive to do their best in all circumstances to protect the health of Nigerians, the leadership of the NMA in FCT shall continue to put first the welfare and security of our members as priority and reassure our members to continue at their duty posts to render services, remain vigilant, and observe personal security precautions while awaiting the various authorities to do the needful.
 
COMMENDATION
The Association wishes to commend all heads and management of public health institutions that have kept clinical services running in the Federal Capital Territory, notably Federal Staff Hospital, Jabi, despite the suffocating and needless strike by JOHESU.
 
We wish to commend all our members in public health institutions who have tenaciously remained at their duty posts, rendering health services and saving lives, despite the excruciating working environment and threats to their security and lives. We also acknowledge the sacrifices made by our members in private health facilities who have accommodated the spill-over of patients and have lowered certain fees for indigent patients in order to access care.
 
We salute the courage of some health workers who have been helping and providing health services in the health institutions affected by the JOHESU strike. Notably we commend members of the Graduate Nurses Association of Nigeria (GNAN), corpers and interns who have been at their duty posts in the various public health institutions in the FCT.
 
PRAYERS
1.        We call on authorities of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), especially the Department of Health and Human services, Federal Ministry of Health, and Heads and Management Staff of all public health institutions to provide adequate security on a 24/7 basis within their premises to nip these ugly and dastardly incidences and acts by suspected JOHESU members in the bud. 
 
2.        Heads and Management Staff of all public health institutions should show leadership, eschew indifference and carry out disciplinary procedures as laid out in the public service rules on erring JOHESU members.
 
3.        We call on the FCT Commissioner of Police, State Director, Department of State Security Services (DSS), FCT, and all other law enforcement authorities to call JOHESU members to order and to act to prevent any untoward outcome on doctors who are working under excruciating conditions and in an atmosphere of danger and fear of the unknown, directly as a result of the acts of these JOHESU members.
 
4.        We insist that investigation should immediately begin with a view to identifying all the culprits and appropriate sanctions meted out to them to serve as a serious deterrent to others that are planning to unleash further terror on doctors. 
 
Finally, we submit that if this emerging phenomenon is not quickly arrested and swiftly addressed at this point, we fear that these acts of lawlessness, brigandage and terror may blossom into full scale insurgency in the health sector and may finally collapse the ailing sector.
 
Thank you all for coming and for the rapt attention and usual excellent reportage.
 
Long live Nigerian Medical Association
Long live the Federal Capital Territory
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria
 
 
Signed
 
Dr Fatima Z. Mairami 

Chairman
                                                      .
Dr Chukwudi C. Okebaram                                                   Secretary
 
 

NMA demands probe of attacks on doctors
 
The Nigerian Medical Association on Thursday urged security agencies to investigate the recent alleged attacks on its members by members of the Joint Health Sector Unions in some hospitals within the Abuja Federal Capital Territory.

During one of the attacks, a Consultant Paediatrician with the Gwarinpa General Hospital, Dr. Eucharia Anunobi, was said have suffered respiratory distress following the invasion of the hospital on January 21 with teargas canisters.

Anunobi was said to be asthmatic.

One of the masterminds of the attack was said to have been arrested by security agents while the case had been reported to the police.

The association therefore raised the alarm that if the attacks were not stopped, it could blossom into a “full scale insurgency in the health sector.”

Chairman of NMA in the FCT, Dr. Fatima Mairami; and Secretary, Dr. Chukwudi Okebaram, at a press briefing in Abuja asked security agencies in the country not to allow the attacks on doctors to go without being investigated.

The briefing was attended by the Medical Director of Gwarinpa General Hospital, Dr. Tony Momoh.

The NMA said, “While many JOHESU members have been sneaking themselves, their family members and cronies to access healthcare services in the same hospitals in which they are on strike and doctors have been magnanimous in rendering care to all and sundry, JOHESU members are repaying this noble gesture by violently assaulting doctors at their duty posts.

“We insist that investigation should immediately begin with a view to identifying all the culprits and appropriate sanctions meted out to them to serve as a deterrence to others that are planning to unleash further terror on doctors.”

The attackers were said to have broken down the entrance to the main block and the laboratory and shot canisters of teargas within the premises of the hospital, “causing severe respiratory distress to staff and patients, including premature babies.”

The JOHESU members were also said to have on January 22 gone to the National Hospital, Abuja and drove out all the personnel working in various units of the hospital and locked up some departments.

The Medical Director of the National Hospital, Dr. Tony Momoh, confirmed to journalists that JOHESU “tried to disrupt the services rendered even by those that are not on strike.”

“But we have ensured that adequate security is provided to enable doctors and other staff on duty render an uninterrupted clinical services,” he added.

When contacted, President of the National Union of Allied Health Professionals and Vice President of JOHESU, Mr. Felix Faniran, told our correspondent that the matter was under investigation.

“I am being briefed right now and we are trying to investigate the matter and in an hour’s time, I will get back to you,” he stated.

But as of the time of this report, he had yet to get back as promised.

The FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Anjuguri Manzah, however, said the matter had not being brought to his attention.


http://www.punchng.com/news/nma-demands-probe-of-attacks-on-doctors/

And the low life pigs that couldn't pass jamb well enough to study medicine keep constituting a nuisance!

lalasticlala, please do the needful...

Nigerians must be well informed!!! doctors are not on strike!!!

While we try our best to make the health of Nigerians our top priority, some devils have decided to make theirs the direct opposite, imagine firing tear gas in a hospital, what of all the asthmatics, premature babies, women in labor....

These johesu goons must all rot in jail!!!!

I'm not surprised... crazy lot!

Why do we most times air our grievances in a very barbaric way? Throwing tear gas canisters in a hospital which is supposed to be a place of succor for the sick. Is there no other way? Government wants to solve its problem with university staff by bulldozing their properties; students want to solve theirs by violent protests such as burning buses; now, people go to hospitals to cause havoc just cos they're not happy. Why are most Nigerians this uncivilized?

What exactly is JOHESU's problem?

Johesu..... A mistake from the pits of hell!!!!!!!!!!

Wetin make i believe.

lemme go research small

This issue is one no government wish of, and just an ego fight. Leaders of the health sector....like WTF? The patient is the leader.

Nigeria get problem oh!

Pharmacist Cletus Labe was assassinated recently after receiving serious threats from medical doctors. They didn't probe shii then, now they're crying foul.









Eediot MBBS graduates, bunch of bastards! The game just began!

GEJ till 2019..

Imanuelle:
Nigeria get problem oh!

wich kinds prblms sire

kay1one:
And the low life pigs that couldn't pass jamb well enough to study medicine keep constituting a nuisance!

I presume your father is not a medical doctor. Then he must be one of those 'low life pigs' you talked about.

kay1one:
And the low life pigs that couldn't pass jamb well enough to study medicine keep constituting a nuisance!

i pray you are not a doctor though.

all will be good in febuhari inshaa Allahu.....Saiiiii buhariii till goshluck salut to u

Well this JOHESU saga is getting out of Hand.


In Nigeria everybody wants to be the head

But it's not

Everyone cannot be CEO or President.

Damn!

Many are mad, but few are roaming.

kk

kay1one:
And the low life pigs that couldn't pass jamb well enough to study medicine keep constituting a nuisance!

You are an ignorant fool, It's not every health worker that had the intention of studying medicine, so get your facts right b4 spewing rubbish.

adeoladrg:
Pharmacist Cletus Labe was assassinated recently after receiving serious threats from medical doctors. They didn't probe shii then, now they're crying foul.









Eediot MBBS graduates, bunch of bastards! The game just began!

Oh boo hoo hoo.....

I even had little respect for you, I thought you were better than the others....

Now I see you are even worse by calling doctors bastards


In fact God will have mercy on your filthy soul

Iro!

Failure of Government.

kay1one:
And the low life pigs that couldn't pass jamb well enough to study medicine keep constituting a nuisance!

Your stupidity is alarming!!!!

NMA lies! Lies lies. Nothing of such happened. Except its in a different abuja. Why would respected professionals descend so low?


Simple solutions to these strikes
https://www.nairaland.com/2013336/health-sector-strikes-underlying-issues

[quote author=adeoladrg post=30335916]
I believe strongly that you're a compound F*O*O*L, born by mistake.

.......and people still think the doctors are the problem with the health sector.....SMH.

those johesu people are really funny, so many of the nurses and lab workers have been bringing their children to hospital

now they would know they are not so essential

johesu Don turn boko haram .. johesu are the sponsors of boko haram...GEJ take note o

Johesu miscreants at it again.Wish all d docs were like me cos I can take on 20 Johesu miscreants at d same time.Bunch of marrafakas.