Crisis looms in health sector as NMA moves to stop FG/JOHESU agreement

A serious crisis that could lead to a long closure of government hospitals across the country is looming; as the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has taken a deft move to stop the recent agreement reached by the Federal Government, with other health workers under the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU), antagonized JOHESU’s demands, and condemned the signed agreement.

As the professional rivalry between the doctors and other health professionals in the health sector continue unabated the NMA specifically declared its opposition, to almost all the issues raised and demands made by JOHESU, describing them as unacceptable, has kicked against the agreement recently reached with other health workers under the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU).

The NMA specifically opposed to salary harmonization, one of the important issues which were part of the agreement reached with JOHESU, and declared that the doctors cannot receive the same salary as other health workers.

In a letter hurriedly written to the Minister of Labour and Employment, the NMA warned: “NMA is totally opposed to salary harmonization as doctors are not prepared to receive the same salary as other health workers.

“It is not happening anywhere in the world. JOHESU/AHPA has no legal or factual basis to demand the release of a circular on the adjustment of CONHESS as was done for CONMESS as the adjustment was done to partly correct observed distortions in relativity between in CONMESS.

“The FG should disregard this demand as NMA shall not accept another distortion of the relativity between CONHESS and CONMESS. Circular SWC/S/04/S.176/VOL.11/464 dated 3rd January 2014 and the precursor agreement of 2nd of January, 2014 must be upheld.”

The letter signed by the NMA President, Prof Mike Ogirima and the Secretary General, Yusuf Tanko Sununu added: “The FMOH should as a matter of urgency review the nomenclature of the other health care professionals provided it does not violate the teaching hospital Act but allow them to rise to the peak of their career (GL 17/CONHESS 15).

“The NMA is opposed to the demand for appointment of non-medically qualified personnel as a consultant in hospitals. There is no circular or law or scheme of service that authorized this just as it is against international best practices.

“The interest of the patient is sacrosanct as multiple consultants with opposing instructions would lead to anarchy in the clinical care of patients with deadly consequences.”

The NMA opposed and rejected most of the issues on which agreement was reached with JOHESU, thus sending a warning signal that professional rivalry may lead to the serious crisis in the health sector.

NMA referred to JOHESU demands an agreement reached with the union by the government as an aberration in health service in the country and called on the government to urgently redress it.