Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire says contrary to insinuations, government is not in any way threatening members of the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria, who are currently on strike.
The Minister gave the clarification on Thursday at the State House, during the weekly Ministerial briefing organised by the Presidential Communications Team.
He therefore, appealed to the Doctors to call-off the strike in the interest of humanity, to help address the challenges posed by Covid-19.
Dr Ehanire said: “Now with the question of the strike, we have said openly that this is not a good time for doctors to go on strike. We’re having a strike for the third time this year, which is not good.
“We have appealed to them; we have been having long meetings with young doctors to tell them that we have a certain responsibility to our country. Every country who has a difficult situation at this time should understand that responsibility is on all of us. If you have any problem, any grudges, let’s talk about it. If we can’t solve it now, let’s continue talking about it until we find a solution but don’t drop work.
“I think Nigeria is probably the only country in the world today where doctors are dropping work in the middle of a threat to the whole country. So that’s why we have advised. There has been no threat. Nobody threatened anything. Just appeal to all of us who are doctors, all of us went through the same residency. We’re saying this is not the time, let’s continue to talk about it. Do not put people’s lives at risk. That’s what the Minister of Labour has been saying, that is what the Minister of Health has been saying. Nobody has threatened anybody with anything.”
Commenting on the implementation of the ‘No work no pay,’ law by government, he said; “Yes, but that’s the standard thing. That’s the International Labour Organization, ILO recommendation that if you didn’t work, then why will you take your salary? Salary comes from taxpayers’ money. So if you did not work, why should you be paid? Because if that is so you can’t be encouraged to stay home for six months and your salary is running from public funds, from taxpayers’ money, or you have not given the community any service.
“So that no work, no pay is not just the government regulation. It is recommended specifically in International Labour Organisation provisions, that if you do not work, if you have not given any service, you can’t expect regulation. Because you can’t go to the market and buy something for nothing. You must put down something, you must put down work.
“The strike is not what we want now, we would like to again, use this platform to ask doctors to return to work, let us negotiate. We can do that among us.”
The Minister said; most of the issues in contention rest with State governments. He therefore, advised the striking Doctors to reach amicable resolutions with the various State governments concerned.
“We say if you want to talk to that state, I will support you and appeal to the state. Among the 12 original demands that they made, seven were state related. They’re not federal, the federal government cannot compel a state to pay you a certain salary that you want.
“But the ones that are concerning us at the federal level, many of them are not even exactly the Ministry of Health either. But we support them and those with what strike is not a good tool to use. And especially when the health of the country is threatened. When people will come out or volunteer in other countries to work. That is not the time to withdraw your own service,” the he said stated.
He emphasised that government would continue to appeal to the Doctors not to use strike as a tool, especially at a time of national need like now.
Mercy Chukwudiebere
