yesterday to end the university
teachers' strike (ASUU strike) He also
promised to end the doctors strike. The
teachers' is about 100 days. Members
of the National Association of Resident
Doctors (NARD) are also on strike. The
professionals are blaming the
government for failing to meet up with
the agreement reached with them.
Jonathan promised to end the strike
when he received the leaders of the
Nigerian Medical Association (NMA),
led by its President, Dr. Osahon
Enabulele. Presidential spokesman Dr.
Reuben Abati, in a statement on the
meeting which reporters were
prevented from covering, said the
President promised to do his all to
resolve all issues that caused disputes.
He said the government attached great
importance to the medical and
educational sectors. He said: "I believe
that we must manage both sectors in
such a way that nobody engaged in
them will think of going on strike again.
"We will continue to proactively evolve
measures that will help us to
permanently overcome the problems
that lead to strikes by health and
education professionals," he added. To
facilitate rapid establishment of more
centres of medical excellence in the
country, President Jonathan pledged
that the Federal Government would
fully explore the option of creating a
special intervention fund. According to
him, the recommendation of a special
fund that will give low interest loans for
the establishment of state-of-the-art
medical facilities is a creative idea that
will receive appropriate consideration
from the government. He said: "We are
committed to working with
professionals and the private sector to
establish better medical facilities in the
country and reduce the number of
Nigerians who have to go abroad
annually for medical reasons."
Jonathan also assured the doctors that
his administration would create the
right conditions to enable doctors to
stay at home and avail Nigerians of
their acknowledged skills and expertise
instead of migrating to other countries.
He said his administration was
determined to correct the anomaly of
Nigeria being so strong in human
capacity in medicine, with about
25,000 Nigerian medical consultants
currently practising in the United
States , as confirmed to him by
President Barack Obama; and yet being
unable to treat many of its sick people
in its own hospitals. Jonathan said:
"There is clearly a missing link
somewhere and we will do everything
possible to fix it. We will continue to
work with professional bodies and all
stakeholders to come up with more
policies and actions that will help us
overcome current challenges in our
medical sector. "We will work with the
National Assembly to ensure the quick
passage of the National Health Bill. We
will take prompt action to reconstitute
the Medical and Dental Council of
Nigeria. We will also consider
recommendations for the
establishment of the Office of Surgeon-
General of the Federation." "I believe
that we must always do what is best for
our country. We will review all the other
issues you have raised and act
accordingly. When things are done
properly, issues of welfare and
remuneration in the health sector will
disappear," the President said. Dr.
Enabulele assured President Jonathan
of NMA's support for his
administration's agenda. He called for
urgent reconstitution of the main
regulatory body in the health sector,
the Medical and Dental Council of
Nigeria which was dissolved in 2011.
The NMA President also called for faster
action on the passage of the National
Health Bill and other issues related to
the creation of a more conducive
operating environment for doctors and
other healthcare professionals such as
remuneration, welfare and training. The
President was decorated with the
emblem of the NMA by Prof. Umaru
Shehu. The NMA delegation included
the Emir of Tsonga, Dr. Haliru Yahaya,
the NMA Second Vice-President, Dr.
Uche Ojinmah and the NMA Secretary-
General, Dr. Akpufuoma Pemu.
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