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Doctors under the aegis of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have threatened to collapse the nation’s health sector should the federal government fail to withdraw the circular suspending the Residency Training Programme.
The doctors who laid siege of adjourning streets around their National Headquarters in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja described the action of President Goodluck Jonathan and Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu as an act of 'desperation.'
According to the NMA, "whereas the NMA leadership has been making efforts to resolve the current impasse between the federal government and the NMA, government has not kept her own part of agreement despite intervention by prominent Nigerians."
At the protest, the doctors carried placards with inscriptions condemning government action. Some of the placards read: 'FG Declare War on Ebola Not Nigerian Doctors' 'Onyebuchi Must Go Before There Will Be Peace In The Health Sector' 'Mr President You Have More Than Enough Problems' 'Doctors Are The Life Line Of Defence' 'Onyebuchi Chukwu Must Go' Sacking Doctors Is Not The Answer' Are We In A Democracy Or Military Regime'.
Addressing journalists during the protest, NMA President, Dr Lawrence Obembe said the move rather than de - escalate the crisis has instead escalated problems in the troubled health sector.
The NMA president also stated that even if FG reinstates the resident doctors, they will still not call off their strike, which is over a month now, adding that the govt must meet its “24-point demand”.
Then why are they protesting.
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