Doctors Threaten To Embark On Strike; Give FG 2 Weeks Ultimatum.

                          

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) yesterday gave the federal government a 14 day ultimatum to meet its demands or risk indefinite strike.
The group in a letter addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, which was read to newsmen by the Bauchi State Chairman of NMA, Dr. Yusuf Abdu Misau, said: “The Federal Government has 14 days to avert the impending strike by meeting the demands of the NMA. We don’t want to see people dying as a result of strike.”
He drew the attention of the federal government to the decay in the nation’s health sector, pointing out that Nigeria has the best set of doctors, but that the government lacks the political will to address the decay in the sector.
“The association urged the federal government to expedite passage of the National Health Bill (NHB) and extend universal health coverage to all Nigerians and not 30 per cent as currently prescribed by National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). “We also demand the immediate release of circular on rural posting, teaching and other allowances and it should include House Officers,” he said.
The group also called for the release of the circular on retirement age for medical doctors as agreed with government, just as it demanded that hazard allowance must be at least N100,000 per month.
“The government through the Federal Ministry of Health should formalize and implement the report of the inter-agency committee on resi-dency training as well as release the uniform template on appointment of resident doctors in line with an earlier agreement,” it said.