Press Releases

Threat Of Strike By Lagos Medical Guild: LASG States Position

Jan 4, 2009 - The Lagos State Government Sunday stated its position on the threat of strike by the State’s Medical Guild, saying much as it is ready to negotiate with the Guild for amicable resolution of any outstanding issues; it would not succumb to any threat or intimidation.

The State Government declared that the strike being undertaken by the Guild was illegal since it did not meet the requirements of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) for the declaration of strike.

The Government also advised members of the Guild and all staff in the State’s hospitals that have opted out of the planned strike, to go about their lawful duties saying the State Government has provided adequate security for their safety.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, who briefed Government House Correspondents on the position of the State Government on the issue, described the planned strike as unfortunate pointing out that majority of the issues being raised by the Guild were issues which are already before the State Executive Council based on several meetings between the Health Ministry and members of the Guild.

“All the issues now being raised by the Guild as reason for their action are issues which the present Government has been looking into in the last six weeks”, the Commissioner said, pointing out that between July and December last year, more than four meetings were held between the State Government and both the leadership and membership of the Guild.

Commenting on Remunerations for doctors and other medical Staff which is one of the issues being raised by the Guild, Dr. Idris said remuneration was one of the issues which were now before the State Executive Council, adding that the delay in taking decision on it was based on the fact that the Government wanted to resolve the issue globally in the health sector and not for doctors alone.

“Part of the memo which we sent to the Council concerns the increase in the remuneration, not only of doctors but of the entire workforce in the health sector”, the Commissioner said, arguing that this was necessary in other to avert any disharmony in the sector based on segmented increase in remunerations.

He described as falsehood the allegation by the leadership of the Guild that doctors and other medical staff were being poorly paid, pointing out that the least paid in the health sector goes home with N85, 000 monthly while on retirement doctors are paid their salaries for life on attaining grade level 17.

The Commissioner also said the State Government has made mortgage arrangements for the doctors based on the State’s Mortgage Scheme, adding that the arrangement included the fact that all the housing infrastructure in the Health sector would be left for the use of the workforce in the sector.

“We will be the last set of people that will do anything to jeopardize the welfare of workforce in the Health Sector” the Commissioner said, adding, “What we are looking at is what will benefit the whole workforce and not just doctors”.

On the issue of Infrastructure in the State Government Hospitals, Dr. Idris who described the commitment of the Government to Infrastructural renewal , especially in its hospitals, as unparalleled, said Government was only being hindered by the huge financial implication in arriving at decisions on some of the hospitals.

According to him,”This administration has mapped out strategies for infrastructural development in the health sector. It is because of the huge financial implications that decisions have not been taken on some of the hospitals”, adding that all these issues had been addressed at different meetings with the Guild.

The Commissioner described as false, the allegation that there was inadequate power supply in the State’s hospitals, pointing out that the State Government has ensured that every of its hospitals have at least two stand-by generators

“I am not saying that equipment in all the hospitals is adequate, but Government has plans for all the hospitals. It is an on-going thing”, Dr. Idris said adding that apart from remunerations, Government was planning other welfare packages such as training of staff. “What the Government is planning for the Health Sector is even bigger than what the Guild is raising”, he said.

On the legality of the strike, Dr. Idris, who described it as illegal, declared, “The strike action is illegal because of the way they are going about it. House Officers, Consultants and Resident Doctors cannot go on strike by the Law guiding the Profession”, adding that even now the Elders’ Forum of the Guild has come out to say it does not support the strike while the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA),was divided on the issue.

“The Elders’ Forum has also come in to mediate on this and even went to meet with the Governor on it. That is why the Forum has now come out to say ’we are not part of the strike’. They have also spoken with the chairman of the Guild”, the Commissioner said.

Enumerating the different meetings where the Government met with the Guild to harmonize their different views on the issues involved, Dr. Idris, who reiterated that it was based on the agreements at the meetings that the Health Ministry made submissions to the Council, declared, “This Government will not succumb to threats, intimidations or spread of falsehood. We are aware that the NMA is split over this. The Elders’ Forum of the Guild does not support the action”.

The Commissioner thanked members of the public and those of the Health Sector who have volunteered to assist in the hospitals to ameliorate the hardships of patients as a result of the action, adding, “ It is against the ethics of our profession to do anything that will jeopardize the life of people. Ours is to save life and not to lose it”, he said.

Also corroborating the illegality of the strike, the Medical Director of the General Hospital Lagos, Dr. Hameed Balogun, said the 21-day ultimatum required as notice for the strike was not adhered to pointing out that as at the time of issuing the notice the tenure of the representative council which issued the ultimatum had elapsed, thereby rendering the notice void.

Dr. Balogun also tendered documents to prove that a meeting of all medical directors which was to be held and where any decision of strike should be taken was not held, pointing out that no medical director attended the meeting summoned by the Guild leadership.

He explained further that although the secretariat of the Guild is within the premises of his office, a letter of invitation to the meeting dated 2nd of December, 2008, got to his table on the 16th of December showing that it was back-dated to meet the requirement. According to him, although he spent one hour at the Island Hospital venue of the meeting, no other medical director turned up.

On allegations of inadequate infrastructure, Dr. Balogun also tendered other documents showing plans of action for infrastructure development meant for his hospital between 2007 and 2011 including Energy supply, Potable water, and reduction in waiting time for patients, among others.

Other officials at the briefing include Chairman Board of Management of LASUTH, Dr. Nurudeen Olowopopo, the Permanent Secretary in the Health Ministry, Dr. Aderemi Desalu, and Permanent Secretary, Health Service Commission, Dr. (Mrs.) Funmilayo Olatunji, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Mr. Segun Ayobolu and the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr. Hakeem Bello.