By Hassan Zaggi
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, has challenged his colleagues in the medical profession to take a self assessment of the way and manner they conduct themselves so as to attract the respect they deserve in the society.
He made the observation at the 2nd Summit of Medical Elders Forum (MEF), in Abuja, Thursday.
He charged the medical doctors to be humble considering the enormous powers God has given to them by virtue of their profession.
According to Ngige: “At no time in the history of NMA and the medical association am I seeing our association and our profession in danger as I am seeing now. Many people will not see it but from where I am sitting and standing, I can see danger ahead.
“We are one of the oldest profession on earth metamorphosing from natural and traditional healers to take away pain from people and consequentially save lives.
“We don’t create lives, God creates we only preserve people’s lives through the act of God. In doing so, God has given us some powers and those powers are near his own to create.
“But there is something God does not want, God does not want when he gives you powers you use it to try to say that you are like him or you are competing with him. God loves you to do that which he has asked you to do; to use that power with humility.
“Doctors should ask themselves questions; why is it that is when your colleagues are in government that you go on the greatest number of strikes. Some of these colleagues were Presidents, Secretary Generals of NMA and even NARD.”
Speaking on regular strike action by the medical doctors, Ngige said that former ministers including Dr. Onyebuchi Chukwu, Dr. Isaac Adewole faced countless industrial actions by the medical doctors during their tenure and that since the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government came on board, he has had to battle four strike actions, insisting that: “Something is wrong. We need to ask ourselves some questions and be straightforward with the answers
“We must start by telling ourselves the truth. You say they dislike doctors, what did you do while they disliked you? Yes, there is peer envy, yes some wanted to study medicine and they couldn’t, we know it and if you know it, you carry yourself with dignity and humility.”
Speaking earlier, the President, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) Prof. Innocent Ujah, noted that the medical doctors were not appreciated for their huge sacrifice considering the enormous tasks they handle. “Everybody is envious of the doctor what is the problem? What have we done? Is it a sin to be intelligent? By the way we are the most intelligent,” he said.
On the release of contradictory salary structures, the NMA President said that: “Circular from Salaries and Wages Commission is coming out that no more CONMESS for doctors who are lecturers but it is there as a circular so why is the doctor singled out? In Lagos state university a doctor with fellowship cannot contest Vice Chancellorship
“Without PhD you can’t teach at the clinical level, you can only teach biochemistry or physiology and then you are saying that the best can no longer be a Vice Chancellor, he can be a professor but he can’t be a Vice Chancellor, what kind of contradiction is that?
“We have written from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to tell them to stop that, if they don’t, we will challenge it because we cannot take what we are seeing.
“Some circulars from NUC are quite contradictory and we need to sort them frontally and you can see the dismemberment. These are the things that cause problems for us. When we try to solve some issues other issues crop up.
“We need support from our elders; people value us but we don’t value ourselves. We should be able to resolve our conflicts and those who are in government should know that they are doctors, you will come back to us.”
Earlier, the Coordinator of African Health Budget Network (AHBN), Dr. Aminu Magashi, said that strong political leadership, commitment and effective health system governance are required for the growth of any health system.
According to him, the medical and dental profession was critical and key to the socioeconomic and political growth and development of any nation, including Nigeria, and its health system.
He noted that: “While the profession which is driven largely through the Nigerian Medical Association and its affiliate bodies has been a major pivot for repositioning and advancing the profession, the effort of various governments to translate the association’s laudable recommendations for the growth, development and good of the profession, the health system and the Nigerian people, has been less than satisfactory.
“Association like the NMA serve as watchdog of government and through constructive engagement with the government, help to deliver quality and smooth health care delivery to the Nigerian population.”
