President Jonathan, medical stakeholders in crucial meeting to avert doctors’ strike 

President Goodluck Jonathan held meeting with stakeholders in the medical sector as part of the federal government’s last minutes efforts to avert the January 6th strike threatened by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). 

Speaking to State House correspondents at the end of the closed door meeting, the Governor of Delta State, Dr.  Emmanuel Uduaghan said any strike from any body in the medical sector will spell doom for the sector.

He disclosed that President Jonathan has consented to some demands of the doctors to which members of the special task force committee were taking to the doctors in another round of meeting that will hopefully end the strike.

The Delta State Governor said, “There are issues that have been raised by the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) for which they have threatened to strike. They had a warning strike for about five days, so the President called a stakeholders meeting to look at the issues. We are going for a meeting now at 5pm (yesterday) with the NMA, at least, there are some things the President has consented to and I believe by the time we finish the meeting this evening, there will be some resolutions.

 ”Our determination is to ensure that that strike of January 6th is averted. Of course we cannot afford another strike in the medical sector. One minute of strike in the health sector by whatever body can be very disastrous”, he said.

Others in attendance include the Minister of Health Onyeabuchi Chukwu and the Minister of Labour Emeka Nwogu, Chairman National Salary Income and Wages Commission, Richard Onwuka Egbule, and Director General Budget Office, Bright Okogwu.