Press Releases

Strike By Doctors In Public Hospitals Unwarranted – Lagos Government

May 5, 2009 - The Lagos State Government on Tuesday described as unwarranted and ill-advised, the strike called by the Medical Guild in the State’s Public hospitals.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, at a joint press conference he addressed along side the Special Adviser to the Governor on Information and Strategy, Mr. Segun Ayobolu, at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre Alausa, said there was no need for such an action since all the welfare issues raised by the doctors as reason for the last strike have been addressed by the Government.

Idris, who also told Government House and Health Correspondents at the Conference that details of the Executive Council decisions on the welfare issues have been communicated to all health workers in the State, declared, “This recent call for strike by doctors appears rather strange to Government and smells of nothing short of cheap blackmail”.

According to the Commissioner, in line with the policy of previous administrations in the State, the present administration has made concerted efforts to address all the challenges facing the Health Sector such as infrastructure, resources, both human and material in spite of the just demands from other sectors of the economy.

“The issue of the Health Sector has always been put on the front burner by different administrations in the State. Also in this administration, there is a concerted effort to fully address all the challenges facing the sector”, the Commissioner said, adding that the efforts of the Government towards the sector is as a result of the importance it attaches to the health of the citizens of the State.

“It is an irony”, the Commissioner lamented, “that the welfare package approved is being implemented using tax payers’ money, and it is this same people paying these taxes that are being punished by this strange strike action”.

He said one of the strategies adopted by the Government in solving the issues in the Health Sector is tackling the human resource element adding that this was one of the reasons why the Health Service Commission was established to continually address the issues of human resource requirements in the sector.

“In recent times, approval has been given to all demands made on this Government and the necessary actions are being taken at various levels for their implementation. These decisions have been conveyed to the entire health workforce on two occasions in the last two, three weeks” Dr. Idris said, adding that the first occasion was at the Auditorium where all the health workers were called and details of the package explained.

Giving more details, the Commissioner said on the issue of human resource and increase in workforce, the Government has given approval for the employment of 1,000 different health workers including doctors, nurses and others adding that the issue of car-loan has been addressed as health workers are now given car- loans.

Other contentious issues which have equally been addressed, the Commissioner said, include the issue of staff buses 12 of which, according to him, have been approved for purchase from which 10 will be given to the Health Services Commission and two to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) for the use of workers there.

On the issue of the former chairman of the Medical Guild which is given as one of the reasons for the current strike, Idris, who described it as purely a simple employer – employee disciplinary measure, noted that under the employment contract, every employee is subject to the disciplinary powers exercised by the employer.

“If the employee feels that power has been wrongfully exercised, there is the recourse to justice under which such decisions can be reviewed. And until this remedy is fully exhausted, the call for strike is uncalled for”, the Commissioner said.

According to Idris, “Just as an employer cannot force an employee not to resign his appointment if he/she so wishes, an employer also has the right to exercise his disciplinary powers when he deems it necessary, especially to forestall the breakdown of law and order in the organization”, adding, “It therefore smacks of cheap blackmail if because things do not go your way you decide to disrupt activities of Government, especially those relating to the health of the citizenry”.

“Furthermore, the civil service is guided by specific rules and regulations and government stand is very clearly stated and communicated to all employees of government. No responsible government will succumb to threats from any quarters. Doing so will encourage complete breakdown of law and order”, the Commissioner said.

Appealing to members of the public to bear with the Government, the Commissioner assured that Government is making every effort to ensure that services are not interrupted. He also appealed to law abiding doctors and other health workers to go about their normal duties without fear as security would be provided for them.

On the allegation that government has not provided life-saving equipment in all hospitals in the State, Idris described the allegation as false pointing out that no responsible government would establish hospitals without life-saving equipment. Other issues addressed by the Commissioner include the allegation of victimization of workers which he also denied adding that of the 24 points which the doctors presented to the Government, all were approved by the Governor, who, according to him, has consistently responded to the demands of the health sector.

Also speaking at the conference, the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Mr. Segun Ayobolu, said despite the loss of millions of jobs across the globe as a result of the economic meltdown, Lagos State with about 101,000 workforce has not laid off anyone of them but has consistently made efforts to maintain the staff in order that they could take care of their families.

“So this is not the time to engage in unwarranted strike actions”, the Special Adviser said adding that despite the fact that many other sectors are equally competing for Government attention, the Health Sector remains the flagship of the Government because of its importance to the health needs of the citizenry.