The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, has advised the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) chapter, to ignore those who think that embarking on strike is the easiest way of finding solutions to disagreements thereby closing their eyes to a number of people who lose their lives in the processes.
He gave the advice when the NMA, FMoH chapter, paid him a courtesy call in his office.
While admonishing the medical doctors to be sensitive of the responsibility they carry, he insisted: “There is no strike that will not cost some people their lives. That is too high a price to pay.”
Ehanire reminded the visiting medical doctors that the Nigeria’s health system is not very strong and that it has been further challenged with the outbreak of Covid-19.
He reiterated that his leadership has been prepared to harness the wisdom and experience of all medical doctors.
“The profession of medicine, apart from caring for life is also a profession of leadership which does not mean that we are better than others, not at all.
“Everybody is important, everybody deserves his respect, the laboratory scientist, the radiographer, the nurse, they all deserve their respect, their regard, they are not junior, they are not inferior, everybody is a team member. That is how to build a workforce.”
A statement signed by the Director, Information, Media & Public Relations of the health ministry, Olujimi Oyetomi, quoted the Minister as charging the medical doctors to note that the profession they are in, is the most respected in every society, because, according to him, every other person or professionals are potentially the patient of the medical doctor.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Interim EXCO of the NMA FMoH chapter, Dr. Zakari Mohammed, applauded the Minister of Health and his team for the efforts on COVID-19 response in the country, particularly the development of the Integrated Health Sector COVID-19 Response Plan which is meant to guide the country’s response and ensure harmonization.
He further commended the Minister for considering his members for the payment of the special Covid-19 hazard allowance, some of whom, Dr. Mohammed revealed, have already received credit alerts.
“This will certainly go a long way in motivating the healthcare workers in the Ministry,” he stressed.
He, however, appealed to the Minister to consider improving the welfare of the doctors working in the health ministry.
“Only our members among Doctors in the Federal Government’s payroll are yet to enjoy skipping,” he lamented.
Dr. Mohammed further appealed to the Minister to consider capacity building for his members in areas of leadership and management and other relevant professional trainings and the implementation of skipping for his members to reduce what he described as, “the existing gross disparity in the salary of our members and colleagues in other federal institutions and Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs).”
