COVID-19: NMA directs members to suspend strike 

 

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA)  has directed all its members currently on strike to suspend their action as part of efforts to tackle the Coronavirus in the country.

The association’s President, Dr Francis Faduyile, gave the directive on Friday in Abuja at a news conference on the response of the NMA and dental practitioners towards containing the global pandemic of COVID-19 in Nigeria.

Faduyile said that the directive was one of the NMAs guidelines towards the management of the COVID-19.

“We direct all state NMA to set up a five-man committee of health professionals including doctors, pharmacists and nurses to monitor the level of preparedness and management of our hospitals.

“This committee should interact with the different committee set up by their respective state governors and FCT Minister.

“In line with the above, we direct all medical associations that have declared industrial actions against their management to suspend all actions as the national NMA shall take over the dispute and interact with the different organs/agencies of government.

“In this regards, Association of Resident Doctors (ARDs) of FCTA, Gombe, ESUT-Parklane and Kaduna as well as NMA Cross Rivers are directed to report back to work and treat Nigerians.

“This gesture is geared to treat fellow Nigerians notwithstanding the inhuman treatment meted on our members nationwide.

“The NMA shall not hesitate to take appropriate action(s) against government organs/agencies that fail to reciprocate this gesture by honouring agreements with their workers after containing this COVID-19 scourge,’’ he said.

Faduyile noted that the world was battling the spread of COVID-19 with numerous researches into its prevention, treatment and vaccination.

He said that Nigeria needed to up its game in the area of preparedness, management and containing the spread of the virus.

He said that as a professional body saddled with the responsibility of caring for humanity, the association had taken into cognisance efforts being made by government at different levels.

“We wish to commend them for their efforts so far,’’ Faduyile said.

The president directed all medical personnel to respond positively to the national emergency.

He, therefore, called on doctors both in private and public health facilities to be at their duty posts to promptly treat Nigerians who reported to their hospitals.

“We call on all health professionals to ensure that they observe international best practice when treating their patients.’’

Faduyile also called on government to provide all necessary Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to the different hospitals so that health personnel could adequately and appropriately manage their patients.

“We request that isolation wards are upgraded all over the states of the federation and FCT for proper treatment of those infected with COVID-19.’’

He pledged that the national NMA Committee on Emerging and Re-emerging Disease would be strengthened to interact with the Federal Government in the effort to contain COVID-19 and wipe it off the country.

“We call on the general public to follow all instructions given by the government in an effort to contain this disease.’’ (NAN)