EVEREST EZIHE writes that following indefinite strike action embarked upon since last week by members of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Imo State, the state chapter Chairman, Dr.ChidiebereOkwara has accused Imo State Government (IMSG) under the leadership of Governor Hope Uzodimma of being insensitive on matters concerning the health of the populace and its practitioners.
Okwara stated this to news men in Owerri on Sunday while reacting on the alleged nonchalant attitude of the state government over their demands.
According to him “can you imagine the strike action is barely one week and the state government has not deemed it necessary to intervene nor hold talks with NMA leadership despite months of warning before finally embarked on the strike action as the last resort, in fact this government is insensitive to health matters” he lamented.
It’s pertinent to recall that the medical practitioners are demanding that the state government should implement the payment of the 2014 CONMESS salary structures for medical practitioners in the state.
They also demanded that the state government should stop the alleged intimidation, harassment and exploitation of private medical practitioners in the state.
They further lamented that medical doctors working at the State University Teaching Hospital (IMSUTH), Orlu were being owed backlog of salaries even as their members working in the State civil service were being paid meagre salaries, adding that all entreaties to get government pay them with the 2014 salary structure have fallen on deaf ears.
The Association expressed dismay on the level of infrastructural decay at the State University Teaching Hospital making the institution to fall series of accreditations, thereby making it difficult for the students to graduate informing that some students have spent 10 years studying courses that ordinarily would have taken them 6 years.
They further demanded for the domestication of the Medical Residency Act so as to make the training of Specialist Doctors in the state seamless.
The Doctors also expressed indignation at the multiple taxes slammed on private hospitals in the state and called for harmonization in order not to strangulate their operations.
