Lagos to striking doctors: prepare to face panel

  Fashola   The Lagos State Government yesterday asked the striking doctors in its employ, under the embrella of the Medical Guild, to answer a query it issued to them and prepare to face the Personnel Management Board (PMB) of the state’s Health Service Commission (HSC).

Commissioner for Health Dr Jide Idris said the doctors must answer the query in line with civil service rules because they cannot fight their employer.

He said: “The doctors cannot wake up and do whatever they like. If the disciplinary action is not taken, other people will follow suit.

“You cannot entrust people’s lives into the hands of those who can just wake up and declare a strike. It is not right. It is not in the interest of our people.”

Idris said the doctors’ demands have been met, adding that they were paid the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), according to the state employment guidelines.

The commissioner noted that House Officers cannot receive teaching allowance because they do not teach anybody.  

He said: “If you are a civil servant, if you get your letter of appointment, you cannot wake up and say you will not come to work. Your employer deserves the right to ask you why you did not come to work. You also have the responsibility to explain. Then, if your explanation is okay, it ends there. If it is not okay, they take further steps. That is what is happening, because if we do not do it, every other group may also wake up and do like the doctors.”

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has said the striking doctors would not go back to work, or answer any query, or face the panel until their demands are met.

Its Lagos State branch Chairman, Dr Edamisan Temiye, urged the state government to rescind its decision and dialogue with the doctors.

He said the government’s position is high-handed, describing its action as intolerable.

Temiye condemned the statement of the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, that House Officers cannot receive teaching allowances.

The union leader said the minister’s statement should be taken with a pinch of salt.

The Nation learnt that at most state-owned hospitals, only nurses and consultants were attending to patients. Patients have become very uncomfortable since the strike began two days ago.



TheNation