The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, an association of all medical doctors in Nigeria on July 1 embarked on a nationwide strike.
With the NMA strike, doctors working in government-owned hospitals have boycotted work, leaving majority of sick Nigerians stranded. In an open letter to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Pius Anyim, on June 11, the association listed a 24 ‘minimum point’ demand which it expected government to meet before its members would return to work.
The letter was titled “Facing the Challenges in the Health Sector”. However on Thursday, President Goodluck Jonathan ordered the sack of all resident doctors in Nigeria. Mr. Jonathan directed the suspension of all Residency Training Programme and the hiring of part-time medical officers to replace the doctors. The inadequate funding of the Residency Training Programme is one of the reasons the NMA is aggrieved.
Below is a list of the challenges faced by the NMA:
1. A demand that seven Deputy Chairman Medical Advisory Committee, DCMAC (four for Teaching Hospitals and three for Federal Medical Centers be appointed to assist the Chairman Medical Advisory Committee, CMAC. The association noted that the CMAC is presently saddled with statutory responsibilities that are too heavy for an individual to handle. The DCMACs is expected to have the same qualifications as the CMACs. The NMA also argued that directors in other government establishments are supported by deputies and sees no reason while that of the CMACs should be different.
2. The association opposed the appointment of directors in hospitals. The position, it said, distorts the chain of command and induces anarchy while exposing patients to conflicting treatment and management directives with mostly negative consequences.
3. A demand that grade level 12 (CONMESS 2) in the health sector be skipped for medical and dental practitioners.
4. The association also demand that the title ‘Consultant’ should not be assigned to non-doctor personnel. Arguing that consultant describes the relationship between a specialist medical doctor and his patients, the association said that giving the title to a non-doctor personnel will only lead to anarchy and chaos in the system.
5. The immediate implementation of a January 3, 2014 circular and immediate payment of the arrears for 22 years during which members were short-changed. It also demand an adjustment of doctor’s salary to maintain the relativity as agreed.
6. The acceleration of the passage of the National Health Bill and extension of the Universal Health Coverage to cover 100 per cent of Nigerians rather than 30 per cent as currently prescribed by the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS.
7. Appointment of a Surgeon General of the Federation with immediate effect.
8. A correction of entry point of a health officer to CONMESS 1 Step 4 as originally contained in MSS/ MSSS while the Registrar/ Medical officer is moved to CONMESS 3 Step 3.
9. Call duty allowance for Honorary Consultants should be increased by 90 per cent.
10. An adjustment in the specialist allowance as contained in the 2009 collective bargaining agreement. Also all doctors on CONMESS 3 and above must be paid specialist allowance or its equivalent, not less than 50 per cent higher than what is paid to other health workers.
11. Hazard allowance for medical doctors must be at least N100, 000 per month. The hazard allowance for medical doctors is said to be at N5, 000 per month presently.
12. Immediate release of the circular on rural posting, teaching and other allowances which must include house officers.
13. An immediate withdrawal of a circular by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN authorizing Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria, MLSCN to approve licenses for importation of In-Vitro Diagnostics, IVDs.
14. Immediate release of the circular for the retirement age for medical doctors as agreed with the Federal Government.
15. The FG through the health ministry should formalize and implement the report of the interagency committee on residency training. The FG is expected to release the uniform template on the appointment of resident doctors in line with earlier agreements. Also a concrete funding framework for residency training must be established while the overseas clinical attachment must be fully restored and properly funded in the interest of the nation.
16. That in the interest of harmony in the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, the government should pay the salaries of our members in the center as agreed on October 21, 2013.
17. Immediate concrete steps must be put in place for the reintegration of our members back into the IPPIS platform.
18. All attempts to coerce house officers not to join NARD must stop.
19. The orchestrated intimidation, harassment and physical assault of our members in the departments of pathology (Laboratory medicine) by laboratory scientists and tolerated by the Federal Ministry of Health must stop.
20. The endless circle of incomplete salary payment of our members in many hospitals in the name of shortfalls in personnel cost must stop.
21. Universal applicability of all establishment circulars on the renumeration and conditions of service for doctors at all levels of government must be granted.
22. Government should as a matter of urgency set up a health trust fund that will enhance the upgrading of hospitals in Nigeria.
23. The position of the Chief Medical Director/ Medical Director must continue to be occupied by a medical doctor as contained in the Act establishing the tertiary hospitals. This position remains sacrosanct and untouchable.
24. The NMA henceforth shall not accept the continued violation of any of any of the terms of the 2009 Collective Bargaining Agreement. This is exemplified by the payment of the Medical Physicist and Optometrist with OD (who are on CONHESS) call duty allowance using CONMESS circular. Similarly, the phrase, “Ministries, Departments and Agencies”, MDAs in the said agreement should replace “Federal Ministry of Health and other Federal Health Institutions” as contained in the 2009 CONMESS circular.
Premium Times
Related stories: Patients dying as Nigeria's doctors strike continues
President Goodluck Jonathan sacks striking doctors
Monday, August 18, 2014
5 have recovered from 12 Ebola cases
Nigeria has 12 confirmed cases of the Ebola virus, up from 10 at last week's count, of which five have almost fully recovered, the Health Ministry said on Monday.
It said in a statement that 189 people in Lagos and six others in the southeastern city of Enugu were under surveillance. The death toll remains four, it said.
A doctor who had recovered had been discharged from hospital, the ministry said.
The Ebola virus has killed more than 1,000 people in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia since the outbreak began in March, and four people have died in Nigeria since it was brought to Lagos by a Liberian man on July 20.
"Patients under treatment have now been moved to the new 40 bed capacity isolation ward provided by the Lagos state government," the Health Ministry statement said.
It added that experimental drugs were in the process of being cleared for the treatment of Ebola, although one, nano silver, had been rejected because it did not meet requirements.
Fighting the disease in Nigeria is complicated by the fact that doctors are on nationwide strike. The ministry of health sacked 16,000 doctors on Thursday after they refused to end their strike in the midst of an Ebola epidemic.
Health care workers fighting to stop the disease in overcrowded and ill-equipped clinics often succumb to Ebola themselves. The World Health Organization says more than 170 healthcare workers have been infected and at least 81 have died.
The death toll from Ebola is still climbing and the U.N. health agency faces questions over whether it should havedeclared the outbreak a "public health emergency of international concern" before Aug. 8.
Reuters
Related stories: Nigeria approves use of experimental Ebola drug
Video - Nigeria's challenge to contain Ebola
It said in a statement that 189 people in Lagos and six others in the southeastern city of Enugu were under surveillance. The death toll remains four, it said.
A doctor who had recovered had been discharged from hospital, the ministry said.
The Ebola virus has killed more than 1,000 people in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia since the outbreak began in March, and four people have died in Nigeria since it was brought to Lagos by a Liberian man on July 20.
"Patients under treatment have now been moved to the new 40 bed capacity isolation ward provided by the Lagos state government," the Health Ministry statement said.
It added that experimental drugs were in the process of being cleared for the treatment of Ebola, although one, nano silver, had been rejected because it did not meet requirements.
Fighting the disease in Nigeria is complicated by the fact that doctors are on nationwide strike. The ministry of health sacked 16,000 doctors on Thursday after they refused to end their strike in the midst of an Ebola epidemic.
Health care workers fighting to stop the disease in overcrowded and ill-equipped clinics often succumb to Ebola themselves. The World Health Organization says more than 170 healthcare workers have been infected and at least 81 have died.
The death toll from Ebola is still climbing and the U.N. health agency faces questions over whether it should havedeclared the outbreak a "public health emergency of international concern" before Aug. 8.
Reuters
Related stories: Nigeria approves use of experimental Ebola drug
Video - Nigeria's challenge to contain Ebola
Friday, August 15, 2014
Boko Haram suspected of kidnapping about 50 men and boys in Northern Nigerian villages
Residents of a Nigerian village on the shore of Lake Chad say at least 50 residents are missing after a raid by suspected Boko Haram militants.
A witness told the BBC that 26 people were also killed during the raid on the village of Doron Baga on Sunday.
The remote region has poor communication links, meaning news of the raid took days to emerge.
Nigeria has been plagued by attacks by the Boko Haram Islamist group in recent years, particularly in the north-east.
In April, Boko Haram caused global outrage by abducting more than 200 girls from their boarding school in the remote down of Chibok in Borno state. Houses burnt
It is unclear exactly how many people were seized during the attack.
Some of the villagers tried to fight the attackers off, but they were unable to stop the raid, a villager elder told the BBC's Hausa service.
The militants then burnt down some houses and rounded up a group of 50 people, he said.
They were mainly women but also included some boys and girls, he added.
Other survivors say young men were also taken possibly to be turned into Boko Haram fighters.
Witnesses from the village told reporters about the attack after reaching the state capital of Maiduguri.
The Nigerian military has not commented on the attack.
BBC
Related stories: Wives of Nigerian soldiers protest the lack of resources troops have to combat Boko Haram
Video - Boko Haram release video mocking plea for kidnapped schoolgirls release
A witness told the BBC that 26 people were also killed during the raid on the village of Doron Baga on Sunday.
The remote region has poor communication links, meaning news of the raid took days to emerge.
Nigeria has been plagued by attacks by the Boko Haram Islamist group in recent years, particularly in the north-east.
In April, Boko Haram caused global outrage by abducting more than 200 girls from their boarding school in the remote down of Chibok in Borno state. Houses burnt
It is unclear exactly how many people were seized during the attack.
Some of the villagers tried to fight the attackers off, but they were unable to stop the raid, a villager elder told the BBC's Hausa service.
The militants then burnt down some houses and rounded up a group of 50 people, he said.
They were mainly women but also included some boys and girls, he added.
Other survivors say young men were also taken possibly to be turned into Boko Haram fighters.
Witnesses from the village told reporters about the attack after reaching the state capital of Maiduguri.
The Nigerian military has not commented on the attack.
BBC
Related stories: Wives of Nigerian soldiers protest the lack of resources troops have to combat Boko Haram
Video - Boko Haram release video mocking plea for kidnapped schoolgirls release
Adidas drops Nigeria Football Federation
Nigeria national teams official kitting outfit and partner of the Nigeria Football Federation, Adidas has written to the Nigeria Football Federation notifying them of their decision not to renew the current contract.
The global merchandise outfit signed a new contract with the NFF on March 6, 2010 and did not state specific reason for pulling out.
In a letter addressed to the federation, dated August 12, 2014 and signed by the VP Global Sports Marketing Football, Claus-Peter Mayer and the Marketing Manager Federations and Leagues, Kai-Philipp Stief, the outfit stated that they will continue to fulfill their obligations under the previously communicated agreement.
"Adidas has conducted an analysis of its football partnerships and related businesses. Based on this evaluation and in combination with the recent correspondence between the parties, we regret to inform that adidas has decided not to extend its partnership with the Nigeria Football Federation as per the end of the Agreement (i.e 31 December 2014),” the letter read.
"Adidas will continue to fulfil its obligations under the agreement as previously communicated and respectfully requests the Nigeria Football Federation to do the same for the remainder of the contract period (including the obligation to share any third party offer pursuant to Adidas’ right of first refusal).”
With this, the Nigeria Football Federation will have to search for another global brand for the national teams. Adidas was their partner when Nigeria won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations and first featured at the Fifa World Cup in 1994.
Goal
Related story: Adidas congratulates Nigeria on Nations Cup win
The global merchandise outfit signed a new contract with the NFF on March 6, 2010 and did not state specific reason for pulling out.
In a letter addressed to the federation, dated August 12, 2014 and signed by the VP Global Sports Marketing Football, Claus-Peter Mayer and the Marketing Manager Federations and Leagues, Kai-Philipp Stief, the outfit stated that they will continue to fulfill their obligations under the previously communicated agreement.
"Adidas has conducted an analysis of its football partnerships and related businesses. Based on this evaluation and in combination with the recent correspondence between the parties, we regret to inform that adidas has decided not to extend its partnership with the Nigeria Football Federation as per the end of the Agreement (i.e 31 December 2014),” the letter read.
"Adidas will continue to fulfil its obligations under the agreement as previously communicated and respectfully requests the Nigeria Football Federation to do the same for the remainder of the contract period (including the obligation to share any third party offer pursuant to Adidas’ right of first refusal).”
With this, the Nigeria Football Federation will have to search for another global brand for the national teams. Adidas was their partner when Nigeria won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations and first featured at the Fifa World Cup in 1994.
Goal
Related story: Adidas congratulates Nigeria on Nations Cup win
President Goodluck Jonathan sacks striking doctors
Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has fired thousands of doctors who have been taking part in weeks of strikes, amid warnings that West Africa's Ebola outbreak continues to escalate.
Jonathan ordered the dismissal of around 16,000 doctors in an internal memo to the Health Ministry, local newspaper Premium Times reported on Friday.
Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu instructed that "letters of termination" be issued immediately to all affected resident doctors in hospitals.
The move allows the Health Ministry to "make internal arrangements to get alternative doctors to cater for patients," said Health Ministry spokesman Isiaka Yusuf.
Doctors and nurses in public hospitals across the country of 169 million people have taken part in work stoppages since July 1 and are refusing to return to work until their working conditions and salaries improve.
The strike is severely hampering efforts to curb the epidemic.
Nigerian authorities on Friday announced a new confirmed Ebola case, raising the overall number in Africa's most populous state to 11.
Three people have died of Ebola in Nigeria, and 169 others are under surveillance, according to the Health Ministry.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that a "massive scaling up of the international response" is necessary to get the outbreak under control.
By August 13, 1975 cases and 1069 deaths were reported from Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
Sky News
Related stories: Patients dying as Nigeria's doctors strike continues
Video - Nigeria's medical sector goes on strike
Jonathan ordered the dismissal of around 16,000 doctors in an internal memo to the Health Ministry, local newspaper Premium Times reported on Friday.
Health Minister Onyebuchi Chukwu instructed that "letters of termination" be issued immediately to all affected resident doctors in hospitals.
The move allows the Health Ministry to "make internal arrangements to get alternative doctors to cater for patients," said Health Ministry spokesman Isiaka Yusuf.
Doctors and nurses in public hospitals across the country of 169 million people have taken part in work stoppages since July 1 and are refusing to return to work until their working conditions and salaries improve.
The strike is severely hampering efforts to curb the epidemic.
Nigerian authorities on Friday announced a new confirmed Ebola case, raising the overall number in Africa's most populous state to 11.
Three people have died of Ebola in Nigeria, and 169 others are under surveillance, according to the Health Ministry.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that a "massive scaling up of the international response" is necessary to get the outbreak under control.
By August 13, 1975 cases and 1069 deaths were reported from Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone.
Sky News
Related stories: Patients dying as Nigeria's doctors strike continues
Video - Nigeria's medical sector goes on strike
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)