[size=14pt]‘We are not intimidated by Tinubu'[/size]
By Gbenro Adeoye
February 25, 2011 02:29AM

Striking doctors in Lagos have stated that they are unperturbed by the recent comments of former state governor, Bola Tinubu, who called for their sack .They however warned that such move would be counter-productive. The political godfather of Lagos politics, Mr. Tinubu on Wednesday described the ongoing doctors' strike as politically motivated and advised the state government to sack doctors who would not accept government's offer.

Sacking doctors will be counter-productive

Taofeek Majolagbe, the Medical Guild vice chairman has denied claims of any political undertone to the strike, urging the state government to shun any advice that could worsen the situation. "It's up to the state government to follow the advice, but we can only urge the government to choose the path of peace," he said. "We are hoping that the state government will not take to the former governor's advice because it will only worsen the situation."

Mr. Majolagbe denied the claims that the ongoing strike- as result of the non- implementation of the agreements reached ,last year with the state government- is politically motivated. He said the doctors are still on the payment of Consolidated Medical Salary Scale (CONMESS) and the reinstatement of the former Guild chairman, Ibrahim Olaifa, amongst other demands.

Mr. Olaifa who was sacked for addressing the press, and said to be campaigning for the House of Representative ticket in Oyo State, under the platform of a rival party, was accused of fuelling the crisis. "Doctors are on strike in many other states in the country, nurses are on strike in federal hospitals across the country, nurses were on strike in the state last year, is it also (Mr.) Olaifa and the party he belongs to that are also behind all that the issues," asked Mr. Majolagbe, while reacting to Mr. Tinubu's comment. "Rather, it's the state government that is trying to politicise the issue, we went on strike last year and the state government gave a promise to implement the agreement at a particular date, but they have failed to keep to that promise and the issues have not changed."

Strike effects biting hard

Meanwhile, residents have continued to groan under the effects of the doctors' strike which entered three weeks today, urging both parties to resolve the crisis immediately. Wards, clinics, waiting rooms and walk ways across state-owned health care centres, including general hospitals and a teaching hospital have remained deserted, following the industrial action.

A resident, Rachel Oladunni, who lost her 27 year-old nephew early this week, blamed the ongoing strike, adding that the nature of the ailment was still unknown to the family. "It was that bad; he complained that he was not feeling fine and the parents would have brought him to the general hospital but for the strike, and the parents could not afford to go to a private hospital. Even now, nobody knows what killed that boy," she said in Yoruba.

Muinat Shodunke, a mother whose four year-old daughter, was born with defect limbs that makes it difficult for her to stand upright, also expressed displeasure with the crisis rocking the state's public health service.

"We have done the X-rays we were asked to do, and the operation is the only thing left now, but there is no one to do it now," she said. "The major problem is that we've been told that the defect can only be corrected now that she's young, and time is running out; that is my fear," she said.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Health/5679733-146/story.csp

lol Yoruba doctors venge on Tinubu. The guy has become an anathema

Beaf, i wonder what is your problem. Even no state in the south south can pay what Fashola is offering. Greedy set of rabbits

seanet02:

Beaf, i wonder what is your problem. Even no state in the south south can pay what Fashola is offering. Greedy set of rabbits

Hmmm! I wonder why doctors in the SS aren't on strike. Mystery!

Dimwit.

Post by 234Next user.

Posted by Elder Statesman on Feb 26 2011

Tinubu with his Toronto certificate doesn't know what it takes to be a graduate not to talk of being a medical doctor. He deserved sympathy and he needs to be liberated from the torment of malevolent spirits. Tinubu is the major problem of Lagos state. We need to save Fashola from his grip by voting massively for other parties in the house of assembly elections. Without the odd fiver from Lagos resources which nourishes his political godfatherism, he is a nobody. Calling for sack of doctors show how narrow- minded those in the driving seat of this unfortunate country could be.

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Health/5679733-146/story.csp

They should be sacked so the case can worsen. What difference does it make now that they are on strike? Bunch of retards that think people come to this world with 3 lives like mario.

seanet02:

Beaf, i wonder what is your problem. Even no state in the south south can pay what Fashola is offering. Greedy set of rabbits

Who are the greedy once? Doctors, Beef or SS doctors.

[size=14pt]Tinubu with his Toronto certificate doesn't know what it takes to be a graduate not to talk of being a medical doctor[/size]

Tinubu needs to see a doctor asap to have his head examined

~ unfortunately doctors are on strike. What next

seanet02:

Beaf, i wonder what is your problem. Even no state in the south south can pay what Fashola is offering. Greedy set of rabbits

They are asking for CONMESS salary scale which many other states are paying. Why are you arguing like an illiterate? You don't even know what the issues are before opening your mouth to abuse your betters.
Even fashola is now appealing to the doctors to make a sacrifice instead of calling them 'greedy'.

Who cares?

Some people are so ignorant, especially when they call themselves"betters". Than who?

Why don't you compare yourselves to doctors in communist countries where everyone makes the same according to training? The American doctors you are comparing yourselves with are better educated and medicine is a second degree.  Tell your friends there to let you know what they have to go through in order to qualify to practice there, if they ever qualify.  

Moreover, can you work their hours to make the money?

Fire them and replace them to those willing to work for suffering patients.

Tinubu is worse than Obasonjo that he spends his time castigating.
It is just that he has not had the chance and i pray he doesn't.

texazzpete:

They are asking for CONMESS salary scale which many other states are paying. Why are you arguing like an illiterate? You don't even know what the issues are before opening your mouth to abuse your betters.
Even fashola is now appealing to the doctors to make a sacrifice instead of calling them 'greedy'.

Lagos state is not obligated to pay you what your silly conmess is dictating or what  the federal government is paying you. Lagos state's economy is a capitalist economy, not socialist or communist where you dictate your wishes.

You can not dictate to or order your employer to re hire who they fired, you also can not force states to spend what they don't have simply because they have their own economic realities and societal obligations to deal with.

The market place and your skills should be the only determining factor when it comes to what you get  paid, not some national unions  setting arbitrary pay scale regardless of what the state can or not afford.

What's going to stop other professions from forming their own national groups and start demanding whatever they want from states all over the country regardless of what the states can afford. You really don't want to go down that road.

Any responsible government should never bow down to blackmail, intimidation or be forced to fire or hire and we can not have some out of state group dictating to Lagosians who to hire or fire or what part of our money we should pay to our workers regardless of our economic realities.

Not too many people get overnight 75% pay increase and if for whatever reeason you are not satisfied with what your employer is offering, you are free to take your services to where they will pay you what you want. Doctors are not the only civil servants in Lagos state. Your conmess is not based on any form of reality, it's not gospel, talk less constitutionally legal or binding.



Yes, Fashola is apealing to the doctors because he is the governor and the leader of the state of Lagos and  we expect him to be cordial and exibit some level of decorum, but he's also telling them that the state can not afford or give them what they want and their incompetent chairman is not getting rehired. So, what part of that are the doctors not understanding?

Tinubu, oh! Fasola oh! all na rascals

@ Eko Ile.

You've said it all.

Demand and supply factor should naturally dictate the prize. If i am not satisfied with my job/the pay or the condition of service, i should simply resign and take a better one.

The actions of the doctors in Lagos state mark a disturbing degree of callousness and greed. If we may know, is there any other state in the country where doctors get paid as much as what Lagos is offering them? Every right thinking person will expect these bunch to appreciate what the state has offered.
The most annoying aspect of it is that upon resumption of duty, perhaps after 2/3 months, the greedy lots will still expect to get the "lost months" salaries. Is this not cheating? What happens to all the citizens that were denied services and care? What about those that have lost their lives as a result of their wicked act borne out of unnecessary uncompromising attitude? I think it's high time some governments started to treat unreasonable unions with contempt - NO WORK NO PAY.

nobaga:

Some people are so ignorant, especially when they call themselves"betters". Than who?

Why don't you compare yourselves to doctors in communist countries where everyone makes the same according to training? The American doctors you are comparing yourselves with are better educated and medicine is a second degree.  Tell your friends there to let you know what they have to go through in order to qualify to practice there, if they ever qualify. 

Moreover, can you work their hours to make the money?

Fire them and replace them to those willing to work for suffering patients.

you would have done yourself some little favour by getting some knowledge before posting.
So many Nigerians qualify and pass board exams everyday.
They work far less hours in europe, try using google for European Working Time directive and compliance.
Get informed.Makes you look erm . . you know

So Tinunbu is now like a godfather in Lagos

need to rid of him quick

I find it rather ridiculous to realize that some folks support the idea of sacking doctors.
They are either unreasonable or just plain stupid.
Why cant Lagos afford to pay CONMESS?
So many states are paying-even ACN states!
If you wanted to be a doctor and you were either not intelligent enough or your parents couldnt afford to fund it, this is not the platform to vent your frustration of unrealized dreams,Pls.

Poor souls, this is what they tell you when you visit or when they come home?

You better hang on to what you've got.

Those that are better educated than you get less money.

reindeer:

you would have done yourself some little favour by getting some knowledge before posting.
So many Nigerians qualify and pass borad exams everyday.
They work far less hours in europe, try using google for European Working Time directive and compliance.
Get informed.Makes you look erm . . you know

[
[quote][/quote]

Little one, i don't work in Nigeria, i last did that 7years ago.Im sure you have such a view like it's spirits who work here, no, There are so many Nigerians you wonder if there are any left in the country.
And you can check with the boards how many Nigerians pass exams regularly, you'll be shocked.Moreso 98% of Nigerian doctors here trained in Nigeria.So get your facts right about passing exams and work hours here, you obviously have no idea about these things

[/quote][quote]

nobaga:

Poor souls, this is what they tell you when you visit or when they come home?

You better hang on to what you've got.

Those that are better educated than you get less money.

This is the type of lies that send innocent folks packing and leaving Nigeria thru the desert.

You should be ashamed of yourself. If 98% of Nigerian doctors pass, all foreign doctors may as well flood Nigerian universities before coming overseas to practice.

Your pants is on fire.

How many cars have you shipped home lately?

Are you educated?
did the post say 98% of Nigerian doctors pass?
Now i understand your problem, basic comprehension and other cognitive deficits.
Im quite sure to you shipping cars home is the highest height of human achievements, shame what poverty has reduced people's minds to.
Read the post again and try to ask for help about things you dont understand.
Nigeian graduates are an integral part of the health systems in the developed world, use your google search for this information and try to read a little better young man.
Now i will stop responding to you as this is a wasteful derailment of this thread,children should learn to read and write before coming online to discuss with adults.Goodnight.

You need to read the implication of your 98%. Please tell us where na. I will send another bunch load trying to get out of Nigeria.

Educated? What makes you educated, please tell us. I am sure you have not read beyond that mechanical manipulation of instruments. So can a mechanic. Your general education after high school still border you. Find out what it takes to be educated before you reply me. I can not waste my time on half educated diseased brain that thinks money is all it takes to render service.

Please stop defacing this thread with very prominent ignorance, please scroll up and read.It's okay to say oh!sorry i didnt read it well. . . .hmm,maybe you still havent realised your error.
goodnight, at least you learnt a little English, comprehension requires some intelligence.

Back to normal people now
This is my reply to Eko ile, and Allycat on the other thread.

Its okay to leave, i left, but for how long will that have to continue with this exploding population in the country?Something has to be done to attract and retain the best brains.I know good wages are the way to start that.
Now about standards, it is difficult expecting that when people are paid peanuts.One of the reasons people will give the kind of service they render here in the UK is because nobody wants to lose a stream of income this good.If you pay people that good then you can demand standards, the mere fact that they may lose a job paying 500k per month will make people sit up.''to whom much is given, much is expected'' let the government start with the giving part and then come down hard on poor care.I will even say they should make the doctors and nurses sign a contract that allows for them to be sacked when their practice is below par and make that a condition for paying these salaries.
Afterwards they can change the mode of recruitment from the civil service type right now to renewable contracts based on performance and the duration can be set, these will make the tedious job rewarding and at the same time ensure compliance with laid down rules and improve patient care.
Talking about private practice, i know how hard it is cos i knew people who tried and became ''humanitarian'' once patients start to beg them and these doctors ended up in big losses.The earning power of the masses have to be really good before private practice will be attractive to doctors.except you have a few humdred millions to start something big and charge really big at the same time.
When all is said and done,everyone is a victim except the politicians. The doctors in training lose valuable learning time(which i know the colleges don't care about), the patients lose good health care and the government ends up losing money because they wil still pay for all these periods people didnt work.The politicians however can travel anywhere they want on government bill and get treated alongside their relatives.
It is time to develop a good health system to be proud of, afterall, this same system produced most of us doing well in europe and the Americas.
Let this wasting of innocent lives stop,the governmet should please pay and close this chapter

reindeer:

Back to normal people now
This is my reply to Eko ile, and Allycat on the other thread.

Its okay to leave, i left, but for how long will that have to continue with this exploding population in the country?Something has to be done to attract and retain the best brains.I know good wages are the way to start that.
Now about standards, it is difficult expecting that when people are paid peanuts.One of the reasons people will give the kind of service they render here in the UK is because nobody wants to lose a stream of income this good.If you pay people that good then you can demand standards, the mere fact that they may lose a job paying 500k per month will make people sit up.''to whom much is given, much is expected'' let the government start with the giving part and then come down hard on poor care.I will even say they should make the doctors and nurses sign a contract that allows for them to be sacked when their practice is below par and make that a condition for paying these salaries.
Afterwards they can change the mode of recruitment from the civil service type right now to renewable contracts based on performance and the duration can be set, these will make the tedious job rewarding and at the same time ensure compliance with laid down rules and improve patient care.
Talking about private practice, i know how hard it is cos i knew people who tried and became ''humanitarian'' once patients start to beg them and these doctors ended up in big losses.The earning power of the masses have to be really good before private practice will be attractive to doctors.except you have a few humdred millions to start something big and charge really big at the same time.
When all is said and done,everyone is a victim except the politicians. The doctors in training lose valuable learning time(which i know the colleges don't care about), the patients lose good health care and the government ends up losing money because they wil still pay for all these periods people didnt work.The politicians however can travel anywhere they want on government bill and get treated alongside their relatives.
It is time to develop a good health system to be proud of, afterall, this same system produced most of us doing well in europe and the Americas.
Let this wasting of innocent lives stop,the governmet should please pay and close this chapter

@ bolded
This is a very excellent idea, it will ensure a win win situation for everyone involved; doctors will work with joy and zeal, research more and will be forced to improve their skills, won't need to engage in business and all that to make ends meet hence better focus on the job, patients will be better for it anyway you want to look at it, the govt can boast of a better health system where its's doctors are content,  and everyone is happy,  Very nice idea indeed,

Lagos is just continuing the tradition of casting Nigeria as a country where professionals must go abroad to be worth anything. Shame.

I see.

You are not good on statistic either. Little did you realize that if people are talking about percentages of those that passed and you come up with two or three Nigerians that decided to practice together, only fools will believe that 100% of you are from a foreign country. No logic sense whatever. But then, your last general education is high school.

You even show your ignorance more by comparing apples with oranges in salary between where you are and Nigeria. Do you realize some of us left to come and practice in Nigeria knowing full well that we will never make the same money?

But the benefits like car and housing go a long way in Nigeria and you have to thank your God when boys and girls that were better in primary schools or high school could not go further for different reasons.

It is a privilege to serve where people know your name. Everyone could do with more money, but don't push it.

No more from me.

drmoney:

I find it rather ridiculous to realize that some folks support the idea of sacking doctors.
They are either unreasonable or just plain silly.
Why cant Lagos afford to pay CONMESS?
So many states are paying-even ACN states!
If you wanted to be a doctor and you were either not intelligent enough or your parents couldnt afford to fund it, this is not the platform to vent your frustration of unrealized dreams,Pls.

I also find it ridiculous when people bring up other states when talking about Lagos state, common sense should tell you that ekiti or the other states you peddle all over the Place are not managing the lives of 18 million people and the most challenging infrastructural prolem in Africa.  Common sense should also tell you that fingers are not equal. It is also very ridiculous to suggest that Lagos state should do what other states are doing when obviously, the economic realities and communal obligations and demands varies from state to state, if other state want to pay their civil sarvants all the money in the world and neglect other priorities and challenges, that's their problem, only irresponsible and foolish leadership follows blindly and copy what other people are doing regardless of their state's financial means and obligations.

And about what the state can or not afford, you are obviously not the governor of the state of Lagos or the chief financial officer, you don't sign or cut any checks, You are not saddled with any responsibiliy or obligation in Lagos state, you are not involved in any financial or future planning, so obviously, you are speaking via ignorance and zero knowledge about the state's financial means and obligations. Speak based on what you know, not what you don't know.


Conmess or what ever you call it is very unrealistic and detrimental to the states and doctors because it sets an artificial pay scale to cap what you can get even if you are worth more than what they prescribed for you and no employer will pay you more than than what your national masters sets, and for the states, it failed to consider each states financial means and obligations.

It is very foolish to let other people put a cap on your skills and knowledge, let the market place determine your worth, not some weak and legaly powerless pseudo entity with some shortsighted policies .

Futher more, it's not a well thought out process because it has no legal or judicial backing and it can not be adjudicated in any court of law, you also can not force people to spend what they don't have, all you are creating is needless confusion and needles strikes, sufferings and deaths over money.