Senate invites top doctors over strike

The seven-day warning strike embarked upon by the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria is already taking a toll on patients in Abuja hospitals, the nation’s capital

This was even as patients lamented delays in accessing health services, and new patients were not being admitted due to the ongoing strike.

Our correspondent reports that the strike affects 83 health facilities and 64 medical schools across the country.

The members of MDCAN are on strike to press home their demands, asking the Federal Government to relieve the Chairman of the  Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University of his appointment as council chairman, for his insubordination and to enforce the Ministry of Education’s directive nullifying any appointments subsequent to their directives.

It also asks “the FG to develop an all-inclusive prototype of advertisement for the Office of  Vice-Chancellor. The advertisement for the  Office of Vice Chancellor as recently issued by Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, may serve as a prototype.

“The MDCAN NEC demands the harmonisation of the retirement age of Medical  Consultants to 70 years. The MDCAN NEC demands harmonisation of payment of emoluments of CONMESS to ensure universal applicability of CONMESS to all Medical and Dental officers. Payment of 2023 and 2024, Clinical Duty Allowance areas, and  2023 25 per cent/35 per cent CONMESS arrears.”

At the National Hospital, Abuja, a patient identified as Uchenna said he was refused admission to the hospital because the consultants were on strike.

“I am a new patient here. I ran a test last week at a private clinic, and I was referred here, but I was told that I could not be admitted because consultant doctors were on strike.

“I have to look for a way out of this or wait till I can be admitted, but I doubt if I can wait any longer,” the 56-year-old man said.

Another patient, Bukola Bamgbose, said the strike was taking its toll on patients, as they had to wait longer hours to see a doctor.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for the hospital, Dr. Tayo Haastrup, said the hospital was attending to emergency cases.

“We are attending to critical and emergency cases, but if it is not an emergency, we cannot admit the patient for now. But then, the resident doctors and other healthcare workers are on duty,” he noted.

At the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, a patient, Wale Debo, appealed to the striking doctors and the Federal Government to reach an agreement that would put a stop to the recurring strikes in the nation’s teaching hospitals.

He said, “Many Nigerians cannot afford healthcare here, not to talk of going to private hospitals.  I didn’t know there was a strike until I got here this morning. The government needs to do something about the frequent strike of doctors.”

Speaking with our correspondent, the President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Dr Tope Osundara, said the strike was taking a toll on patients.

“What we do, as resident doctors, medical officers, including health officers, is to admit patients on behalf of the consultants because the consultants own the patients. So because the consultants are not on the ground now, it is difficult for residents or whoever it is that is working with the consultants to admit patients on their behalf. So, this is a serious burden on the populace because they need consultants to take care of their health challenges, it is just unfortunate that the consultants have to go on strike for their concerns and agitation.

“For NARD members, we are working with the hospital management,  and if there is any need for patients that are in critical care to be referred to another centre for adequate care, then we do that, and they are not admitting new patients.

“For the patients on admission, we take care of them, but we are not admitting new patients, except for patients who need minor treatment. But anything that will need the input of the consultant, my members will not go ahead to begin to work like a consultant, which they are not.”

Osundare appealed to the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to address the demands of the consultants.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the 10th Senate Committee on Health, Dr Ipalibo Banigo, has scheduled a meeting with the striking doctors for Wednesday.

The National President of the MDCAN, Prof Muhammad Muhammad, who confirmed this to our correspondent said, “We have a meeting with the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Prof Banigo. It is meant to be held on Wednesday afternoon, and we will be there.

“However, the situation reports from hospitals are impressive, our consultants really complied with the strike across the country.’’