From Joseph Amedu, Lokoja
Following the inability of the Kogi state government to meet the demands of Medical Doctors under its service, mass deaths is imminent across the state as the members of the Nigeria Medical Association has threaten to shut down both public and private hospitals in the state to press home their demands for better conditions of service.
This was the resolution reached at the end of ordinary general meeting of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Kogi state branch held in lokoja last Thursday.
The NMA noted that it has given enough room for the state government by offering skeletal services at both the Federal Medical Center (FMC) and the State Hospitals without government heeding to their plight.
Dr. Tijani Godwin, Chairman NMA, stated that the government’s reneging on the payment of 40% arrears from August to December 2017 , payment of full salary for January and February 2018 and the non implementation of the reverse CONMESS has made it imperative for the Union to adopt a new strategy for the strike.
He however, ordered all health care centres across the state to remain shut, adding that their counterparts at the FMC should also proceed on sympathy strike on first three days of every month until their minimum demands are met by the government.
According to him “all private health facilities operating in the state will be subsequently shut down if there is no cogent response from the government advising the general public to hold the government responsible for ugly situation that will arise from the actions of the Doctors.”
While asking the general public to bear the inconvenience with them commended the senior medical practitioners for their cooperation and understanding ,even as they extended their appreciation to all those who are working hard to resolve the impasse.
