×

No More Doctors’ Strike Without Permission – NMA

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has warned medical and health workers to desist from what it describes as indiscriminate and incessant resort to industrial action … Continue reading No More Doctors’ Strike Without Permission – NMA


Empty hospital beds in Lagos as Doctors abscond their duties.
Empty hospital beds as the doctors abscond their duites.

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has warned medical and health workers to desist from what it describes as indiscriminate and incessant resort to industrial action as a means of resolving disputes, saying the continuous use of strike will worsen the nation’s healthcare services.

Empty hospital beds in Lagos as Doctors abscond their duties.
Empty hospital beds as doctors abandon their duties

Addressing a news conference in Abuja on the outcome of the association’s national health summit, the President of the NMA, Dr Osahon Enabulele, said all affiliate groups, state and the Federal Capital Territory branch of the association must henceforth get the approval of the national body before embarking on any strike action.

The association, however, added that unavoidable strike actions must conform to extant laws and the provisions of the code of medical ethics as any violation will be met with appropriate sanctions.

Dr. Enabulele also advised the leadership of the various health institutions to pro-actively prevent industrial actions in their institutions in order to strengthen the nation’s healthcare delivery system.

Last year witnessed a number of industrial actions by doctors over wage demand in states such as Lagos, Edo and Delta.

The association further warned health practitioners who refer patients abroad through commissioned agents for reasons of financial returns to desist from such practice.