Patients at the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan and some other hospitals across the country have started feeling the negative effect of the ongoing nationwide strike embarked upon by doctors in public hospitals under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). However, Chairman of the NMA in Kano State, Dr. Sharfuddeen Mashi, said the doctors would suspend the action to attend to patients in the event of any natural or man-made disaster such as bomb blasts or terror attacks.

Most of the patients who came to the UCH yesterday were not attended to by the striking doctors.

With the exception of the accident and emergency units of the hospital, all other sections observed the strike.

Patients, who sought medical care at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), National Orthopedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos (NOHIL), Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Ebute-Metta and other public hospitals in Lagos State were not attended to.

In Delta State, relatives of patients across public hospitals had a hectic time evacuating their loved ones to private clinics as doctors in the state complied with the directive for a nationwide strike by the NMA.

At the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Asaba, doctors partially withdrew their services but were sympathetic enough to ensure that in-patients were in proper condition to be moved out of the institution.

Delta State Chairman of NMA, Dr. Uyi Osarenkhoe, confirmed the development to Daily Sun, saying out-patients were being turned back as the doctors had already complied with the directives of the national body.

“We are not taking new emergencies except those cases that were admitted before now. We are attending to them in preparation for them to be taken away by their relatives, maybe to private clinics,” he said.

However, other health workers at the FMC Asaba were at their duty posts as the strike by NMA did not affect them.

The NMA National President, Dr. Kayode Obembe, said doctors embarked on the painful route because “our silence and gentle approach to these contending issues have been taken for granted. We have to take this action to save the healthcare delivery system from anarchy that is imminent.

“We hereby appeal to all Nigerians for their understanding and to press on government to meet our demands.”

Public Relations Officer of the association, Lagos State branch, Dr. Ogunnubi Peters, said no medical doctor would work in public hospitals from yesterday.

He said the decision by the association was based on the deadlock between the NMA and the Federal Government at a meeting held in Abuja last Wednesday.

Speaking on the strike, the Chairman, NMA, Oyo State, Prof. Adefolarin Malomo, said the association had been pressed to resume its suspended strike.

Malomo said having unsuccessfully explored all necessary ways to make the government see reason, the strike was seen as the last resort.

Meanwhile, National President of the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, Dr. Godswill Okara, said the NMA was over-reaching itself, saying it had chosen to first rush to the podium and play to the gallery before doing its homework, thereby ending up embarrassing itself and its sympathisers.

•Source: Daily Sun.

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