Nigeria's Doctors Won’t Call Off Strike for Ebola

Nigeria's doctors have been on strike for a while now, and say they will not call off the strike because of Ebola. Nigeria has a bad record on healthcare - and an inadequate infrastructure - despite being Africa's biggest crude oil producer.

It's a tangled web though - the national nurses association says government employed doctors are using the strike to divert patients to their private practices. Who knows what's really going on. But there's no doubt all Africa's healthcare professionals are underpaid, overworked and at high risk.

….What would happen in America if doctors went on strike? …during an epidemic? …of Ebola?

“We won’t call off strike because of Ebola virus” – Doctors

As anxiety mounted across Nigeria following the report of first case of the Ebola Virus Disease, striking medical doctors have ruled out the possibility of calling off the strike to attend to the national emergency.

The Lagos State Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Dr Tope Ojo, said the ongoing strike was not called because of Ebola and cannot be called off because of the threat of the viral infection in the state.

Ojo who spoke at a press briefing organised by the newly elected officials of NMA in the state said, “We are not on strike because of Ebola. It was never part of our demands. It wasn’t our fault”.

While assuring that the doctors would continue to partner with the State government to monitor the trend of the disease to check its spread, he blamed the on-going crisis in the health sector on the Federal Government’s mismanagement if the sector.

Nigeria has some of the continent's least adequate healthcare infrastructure, despite access to billions of dollars of oil money as Africa's biggest producer of crude.

Nigerian Doctors' Strike Selfish, Illegal And Unethical Say Nurses

"They should be called to order because their incessant strike is a gimmick to further divert innocent patients to their private clinics where they (doctors) stand to benefit."

The National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has described the ongoing nationwide strike by members of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) as selfish, unethical and illegal, reports the Lagos-based Daily Independent newspaper. NANNM also alleged that the strike was a well calculated and orchestrated plan by the doctors to divert patients to their private clinics to milk them of their hard earned resources. NANNM stated this in a statement by its General Secretary, Yusuf- Badmus, in Abuja on Sunday.

The group advised the Federal Government to "stop all government employed doctors from establishing private clinics for the benefit of the citizens of this nation while still in government employment".

a reply to: soficrow

Oh my. One would think that the threat of a national outbreak would suffice for the government to consider medical care an essential service and would legislate them back until such time as the emergency has passed. For both sides to dig in without undue care and concern for the population would imo, constitute criminal negligence and reckless endangerment.

Let's hope the WHO and the UN allow their fists to pound the table in this regard.

These health workers have nowhere near the appropriate equipment to treat this horror.
They need much more saftey gear,funding,staff and medicine.

Many doctors and nurses have caught the virus and died-even the head doctor is infected.
www.costaricantimes.com...

I would be terrified to be there,those doctors and nurses are acting above and beyond..

a reply to: Silcone Synapse

True enough, we do need to acknowledge them and that they paid the price with their lives, no menial task that was. Appropriate equipment is absolutely necessary, and if need be international groups and agencies must now step forward and exercise proactive action. Discussion time should be over. It's not as if the virus originated there, so international public health officials must now really do their thing.

Well, since our health care workers in America aren't nationalized and thus unionized yet ... we don't have to worry about them going on strike currently.

And there is one of the problems with a public system. We see it in our teachers' unions, but at last when the teachers go on strike, you don't run the risk of a plague of severely deadly proportion breaking out in your country.

originally posted by: Silcone Synapse
These health workers have nowhere near the appropriate equipment to treat this horror.
They need much more saftey gear,funding,staff and medicine.

Many doctors and nurses have caught the virus and died-even the head doctor is infected.
www.costaricantimes.com...

I would be terrified to be there,those doctors and nurses are acting above and beyond..

I agree overall but just to clarify, Khan was NOT the head doctor in the fight - just a latecomer heading his team in Sierra Leone only. Over 50 nurses died before he even came on the scene. AND - unlike other workers he not only had full protective gear, he installed a mirror in his office to check his suit for tears (not possible in the trenches). ...Not to take away from his sacrifice, just the sensationalism. From your link:

The head doctor fighting the deadly Ebola virus in Sierra Leone ....Sheik Umar Khan, 39, is only the latest health care worker to be felled by the out-of-control outbreak of Ebola virus

Interesting development. Nigeria's President just ordered that all resident doctors in training be fired.

BREAKING: Pres. Jonathan Sacks Doctors All Over The Country With Immediate Effect

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Pres. Jonathan sacks all resident doctors

President Goodluck Jonathan has directed all Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) and Medical Directors of all the Federal Government owned hospitals and health institutions across the country to issue letters terminating the appointment of all resident doctors in training.

This directive is contained in a circular signed by the permanent secretary ministry of health and dated 13th August, 2014. It is with immediate effect. The reason for this line of action isn’t yet known but it may not be unconnected with the Ebola outbreak in the country as well as the on-going nationwide strike of medical doctors.

More details soon.

UPDATE

Lagos Doctors Stage Protest Over Sacking of 16,000 Resident Doctors

Last week, BN brought you the news about the Nigerian government firing all resident doctors (estimated to be 16,000 in number) in the country.

In response to this, Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) staged a protest today at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi- Araba, Punch reports.

The doctors reportedly carried placards with a variety of phrases, including, “Sack Ebola not Doctors,” “Sack Chukwu not Doctors,” “Sack Boko Haram not Doctors,” and many more.

Tope Ojo, State Chairman of NMA, reportedly told journalists that the association would not continue any form of negotiations with the federal government until the dismissal of the resident doctors is reversed.

And the drama doesn't quit. Hard to sort out the stories, find the truth.

How Nigerian Doctors Lambasted Health Minister For Prolonging Strike Action Amid Ebola Outbreak

The Nigerian Medical Association [NMA] has lambasted the Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, accusing him of prolonging the seven-week long strike that has left millions of patients stranded, amid an Ebola outbreak. The union spoke Thursday after the government announced it was suspending talks with its leaders, who had earlier assured Nigerians that negotiations with the government were fruitful and the strike would soon be suspended.

The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, described as untrue reports that the government had suspended further negotiations with it. The Secretary-General of the group, Adewunmi Alayaki, said the association was speaking with “government at a higher quarter.” He accused the Minister of Health, Mr. Chukwu, of undermining efforts to resolve the crisis, and sponsoring reports that talks had been shelved.

….(Minister of Health, Mr. Chukwu) disclosed that President Goodluck Jonathan personally met twice with the NMA without him (the minister of health) in attendance, in a bid to get to resolve the issues.

originally posted by: FlyersFan

The following is my opinion as a member participating in this discussion.

originally posted by: soficrow
Interesting development. Nigeria's President just ordered that all resident doctors in training be fired.

This has the potential to be huge. There could be many layers to this - such as political and financial - that are involved with this issue. I'm glad you posted this information, soficrow. You've highlighted a major issue.

As an ATS Staff Member, I will not moderate in threads such as this where I have participated as a member.

Nigeria is one of the wealthiest and most corrupt governments in Africa - there is little-to-no infrastructure, and nothing to benefit the general population like roads, hospitals and healthcare - gawdforbid accessible public washrooms in the cities, not even Lagos. Looks like the oil money goes straight into the leaders' pockets.

The Ebola issue is further 'complicated' by the fact that Nigerian officials signed off on Ebola research with a consortium (VHFC) that includes the US Military as well as pharmaceutical corporations. The agreement stipulated no ethical oversight, a term usually reserved for outbreak situations.

I suspect the research teams jumped the gun, mistakenly considered something "safe," and accidentally started the epidemic in Nigeria as well as Kenema, Sierra Leone (where the VHFC had the same "no ethical oversight" agreement). Others believe the whole thing was purposeful.

....In any event, the leaders obviously are fighting over the "spoils" - while the US Military and corporate machines are tweaking the communications and other strategies.

UPDATE

The doctors' strike is over in Nigeria. As per usual, news reports emphasize that Nigeria did not have Ebola until Sawyer took it there. Ya really gotta wonder why they doth protest so much on that one.

Nigeria Doctors Suspend Strike Over Ebola Threat

The Nigerian Medical Association says it has suspended a public sector doctors strike to help efforts to contain Ebola in the country.

The association on Sunday directed doctors to return to work Monday. The strike started on July 1, before Liberian-American Patrick Sawyer flew into Nigeria and introduced the virus in Lagos, the commercial capital. Nigeria's government says the country has 14 confirmed cases.

The association also demanded the government restart a residency training program it suspended on Aug. 13.

Nigerian Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu said Friday two spouses of patients who died of the virus tested positive for Ebola. All cases of Ebola contraction in the country have been tracked back to Sawyer.