Strike: FG must enact laws to checkmate medical workers – CMD

TOYIN ANISULOWO, Ado Ekiti

The Chief Medical Director of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, Dr Majekodunmi Ayodele, has called on the Federal Government to sponsor a bill that will criminalise strike action.

Speaking on the nationwide strike embarked upon by doctors under the aegis of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Ayodele said the incessant industrial disharmony is crippling the health sector in the country.

Ayodele, a consultant psychiatrist, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to set machinery in motion for the restructuring of the health sector by prohibiting medical personnel, whom, he said, offer essential services from embarking on strike.

The doctors are presently on strike to demand the full implementation of Consolidated Medical Salary Scale and commencement of payment for the skipping of Consolidated Health Salary Scale 2 to members, as directed by the Federal Government.

The medical practitioner, however, appealed to doctors in the federal teaching hospitals to show understanding, saying, “The templates for the implementation of CONMESS and payment for skipping CONHESS 2 have not been released by the Federal Government, let alone releasing money for their payments.

“The Federal Government must start a process of restructuring the health sector. It seems as if the medical officers, including doctors, nurses and others are addicted to strike and this is killing the system.

“In 2014, doctors went on strike for over four months while JOHESU was on strike for about six months. Out of about 360 working days, hardly did they come to work for their legitimate duties for 120 days. We cannot afford to abandon our responsibilities because we offer essential services.

“How do you realize money to pay for residency training when workers are not working to make money? You can’t be embarking on strike at the slightest opportunity and be expecting sponsorship for training from the hospital because they are not being paid for by the Federal Government.

“Let me also add that this rumour going rounds that the funding for CONHESS 2 and CONMESS had been factored into the 2015 budget is not true. It is saddening that we are losing lives here on daily basis and we plead with our colleagues to resume work. They must show understanding and patriotism”, he said.

Ayodele assured the workers that all their entitlements and arrears of unpaid benefits would be paid, insisting that the option of strike is counter-productive and not in the interest of the Nigerian populace.

He doused the tension elicited by fear that he could implement ‘no-work-no-pay rule’, saying “only the Federal Government has the prerogative to apply such. And as long as there is no directive to that effect, I have no reason to do that”.

Ayodele said he had been keeping the hospital going in rendering services to the people by making use of corps members.