The President, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Olumide Akintayo, has said that the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has come up with a “24 Commandment” which the government must obey before the ongoing strike can be called off, calling it a tragedy.
He stated that part of the NMA’s issues was that the federal government should create the office of the Surgeon-General of the federation, when there is no enabling act that backs such an office.
Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s Saturday breakfast programme, Sunrise, Mr. Akintayo explained that for there to be an office of a Surgeon General, there is need for an act of parliament before a president can put up such office or from the constitution.
“This is happening because there is a carryover of the military mentality when NMA had godfathers who are friends with military officers so they utilize these contacts, when government under the military came out with obnoxious laws which is the fundamental problem in the health care sector today.
“The NMA says its members will not come to work until a National Health Bill is passed which has been done by the Senate and House of Reps”.
He further noted that if the NMA has respect for the president of the country and consumers of health such conditions would not have been given.
