The Nigerian Medical Association, Ogun State chapter has declared an indefinite strike from today (Monday)
The industrial action was made known at a press conference addressed by the state chairman of the Association, Dr Oladunni Adetola, in Abeokuta.
According to the association, the strike which will be restricted to Mondays and Tuesdays, is indefinite until the state government accede to their demands.
Some of the demands made by the association includes recruitment of more doctors, provision of drugs in hospital pharmacies, improved condition of service, and improvement of basic infrastructure at the state hospitals.
The association in particular lamented a situation where some general hospitals in the state have only one doctor .
Dr Adetola said, “Imagine a general hospital having only a doctor covering it. Most of our hospitals have less than half of the personnel they had about seven to eight years ago.
“The laboratories are not equipped and common essential drugs are not available at the pharmacies, thereby pushing the citizens to buy substandard drugs from outside the hospitals.”
Asked whether the association has informed the government about their complaints, the chairman said series of letters have been sent to appropriate quarters without results saying government should provide quality health care because it is the right of the people.
He said, “Series of letters to call the attention of the government to this anomaly have been written before now.
The effect is glaring in the poor health indices of the state.
“As a professional body, we should justify the confidence reposed in us. Health is a right and Ogun State citizens deserve the best. It was resolved at an emergency general meeting of the association that members should commence on a Monday and Tuesday strike every week starting from Monday 13th June till above mentioned problems are corrected.“