Doctors in Osun State have appealed to the state government to ensure immediate payment of their salaries during the period they downed tools to push demands for better remuneration.
The doctors, under the aegis Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), spoke at its general meeting, held as part of the 2016 Physicians Week.
During the meeting, members of the association raised concerns over inability of the Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, to commence full payment of salaries, saying the development could make them opt for more industrial action.
Under Serious Hardship
The Chairman of Osun State NMA, Dr. Tokunbo Olajumoke, accused the state government of not paying more attention to the health sector.
He expressed displeasure over the “erratic” manner of paying salaries, saying it has subjected many doctors in the state to hardship.
Dr. Olajumoke said: “The welfare of our members in employment of the state government in the last two years have been very challenging ranging from fractions and several months of unpaid salaries to victimisation and demotion among others.
“The association will continue to lobby, engage constructively and consult in other to ensure our members welfare.
“I appeal to stakeholders and respected citizens to assist on this matter for sustainability of relative peace enjoyed in the health sector in our dear state.
“Doctors are under serious hardship; there are some that are not able to pay the school fees of their children and house rent but we are still attending to patients.
“I must tell you that nobody wants to go on confrontation, but after you have tried every effort in the line of dialogue and lobbying you may recognise the last option which may be regrettable”.
He explained that the sub-theme of the week, ‘Making the National Health Act operational’, was picked in an attempt to offer a broader paradigm in tackling specific health issues by adopting measures more far reaching and enduring.
“Two years after the passage of the National Health Act, we observed that it is still non-functional. Thus if efforts are not geared towards its implementation it may go the way of other acts and perpetually prevent us from achieving global best practices,” he added.
Guest speaker of the occasion, Dr. Callistus Akinleye, of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Osogbo explained that the current recession had led to increase in non-communicable diseases.
Among the diseases, he highlighted, were hypertension, malaria, tuberculosis and diabetes.