The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has announced the suspension of its proposed indefinite strike in order to allow for full implementation of all elements of the agreement between the association and the government within set time lines.
The doctors were initially planned a nationwide strike that could have paralysed the health sector. The strike was to protest some lapses within the sector. However, following meetings with the government, the NMA agreed to a compromise.
In a statement on Sunday, the President of NMA, Dr Osahon Enabulele, announced the suspension. He said “some of the welcome developments in the implementation of the MoU reached between the NMA and the Federal Government of Nigeria include the decision by the Federal Government to redress the gross injustice done to doctors.
Others are the “establishment of a Hospital Development and Intervention Fund for health infrastructure upgrade, appointment of a Surgeon-General of the Federation and expansion of Universal Health Coverage,’’ Enabulele said.
The association demands are proper funding of health care in Nigeria, provision of a regulatory environment for practice in the health sector and the expansion of universal health facilities to cover all Nigerians.
Others demands are the upgrade of health infrastructure, elimination of fundamental injustices done to doctors in terms of workplace conditions/conditions of service as well as other health sector challenges.