by Lekan Olanrewaju
Looks like things are about to get much worse in this tug of war between doctors and Lagos State. Weeks after doctors in the state embarked on a strike under the aegis of Medical Guild, doctors in Federal Government-owned hospitals in Lagos have announced they plan to embark on an indefinite strike from Friday May 18 2012 in solidarity with doctors sacked by state government.
Speaking at a news conference in Lagos on Thursday, the President of the Association of Resident Doctors, Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Adetunji Adenekan, announced that doctors in the Federal Government hospitals would begin the strike under the aegis of the Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association.
“The ARD-LUTH having followed these events closely from the beginning will like to state that these draconian actions of the Lagos state government and is unacceptable by any standard and therefore should not be allowed to persist,” Dr. Adenekan said.
“On this note, the ARD LUTH as an affiliate body of the NMA has resolved following an emergency general meeting to stand totally with our parent body NMA by complying fully with its directives on this strike.”
“We will therefore embark on a statewide solidarity strike action which will commence by 08:00hours on Friday, 18th of May, 2012.”
“We view the attitude of the state government as an insult to the doctors, the profession as well as the patients. By sacking a total of 788 doctors, the state has succeeded in increasing the patients’ ratio to 50000 to a doctor. We view this as an injustice to one is an injustice to all.”
This is getting serious, and all to the detriment of patients. I understand that Fashola felt the need to punish them probably because they endangered people's lives however sacking them was going too far. This is a democracy isn't it? How else were they supposed to express their dissatisfaction? Wasn't there room for negotiations? BRF my former hero, you're doing a very good job in destroying the goodwill and admiration your people have for you. I am sticking my tongue out at you o! Let's see if you will sack these ones too. And bear in mind that if any life is lost as a result of this strike that you have caused these doctors to embark on, the blood will be on your hands.
Let's see if BRF will sack them too.
Wow. This is serious oh. And not even funny. I blame Fashola's rashness