House Wades Into Doctors' Strike

The House of Representatives Thursday intervened in the ongoing strike by members of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), calling on the doctors to suspend the strike and embrace dialogue to resolve the crisis.

The House made this call after adopting a motion of urgent national importance moved by Hon. Samson Osagie (APC, Edo) on the 'urgent need to resolve the crisis in the health sector.'

The House also called on the Federal Government “to do everything possible as a matter of utmost urgency to have this crisis abated in the interest of the citizens of this country.”

In his lead debate on the motion, the Minority Whip said he was pained that the problem between the Federal Government and the medical doctors has dragged on endlessly leading to the latest strike by medical doctors. He said this was not healthy for the people and the nation, especially at this period of our history.

According to him, “From the NMA perspective, a number of issues, including the appointment of the Surgeon-General for the federation, payment of hazard allowances to doctors, retirement age of doctors, expansion of the NHIS (National Health Insurance Scheme) to cover a wider spectrum of the society, among others, are also some of the issues that the National Assembly (has) passed resolutions on.”

He expressed worry that the citizens stand a very huge risk during emergencies, if medical services are not made available, given the very critical state of insecurity in Nigeria.

The House Committee on Health has been mandated to engage the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and Federal Ministry of Health with a view to resolve the lingering crisis in the health sector.

SAINT MUGAGA, ABUJA