The Minister, had on Friday expressed optimism that the nationwide strike, which began on July 1, would be immediately called off
after the NMA's Emergency Delegates Meeting slated for
Monday.
Prof. Chukwu was quoted as saying during a press
conference in Abuja: "As I speak to you, the government
has met its own side of the MoU and it is expected that
the members of the NMA would from today (Friday)
begin to respond and attend to all emergency cases in
public hospitals in the spirit of this understanding.
"It is also expected that the NMA will call off the strike
after its Emergency Delegates Meeting scheduled for
next Monday, July 7, 2014".
Responding, NMA president, Dr. Kayode Obembe, who
spoke with SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday, said it was
mere speculation that the strike would be called off
tomorrow, saying the industrial action would continue
until the doctors' demands were met.
He said, "The Emergency Delegates Meeting of the NMA
will decide on Monday. Others are speculating.
"In view of all this, I can say that if government keeps its
own side of the bargain, there will be no strike in the
foreseeable future. But here is the proviso: they must
keep their own side of the bargain".
The NMA president explained that contrary to the notion
held by a section of Nigerians that doctors are insensitive
to the plight of their patients, the association is made up
of people who feel the plight of Nigerians and laid the
blame for recurring strikes in the sector at the door steps
of the Federal Government, who he accused of pushing
the association 'to the wall'.
Dr. Obembe said, "Medical doctors in Nigeria are also
human beings. We actually feel bad that the association
should degenerate to such a condition. We don't want to
take the lives of the Nigerian citizens for a ride.
"But one thing I want to make clear is that we were also
pushed to the wall before we had to go to this length.
Some of the things we are talking about now, we have
been discussing it for years".
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