Some striking Lagos doctors may have already lost their jobs, going
by statements made by the State Medical Advisory Committee to the
Governor.
The chairman of the committee, Ore Falomo, on Friday, said that the
state government had started recruiting new doctors to replace those on
strike.
Falomo described the ongoing doctors' strike as "an abuse of their
professional calls" and said about a quarter of the striking doctors
have already been replaced.
"We are not justifying whether there should be a strike or not but
this is a noble profession that has to do with lives," he said.
"This is why we are saying that there are better ways to achieve
their aims and objectives instead of embarking on strike at the
slightest opportunity."
The Committee comprises of older practising doctors in the state.
Falomo said that the doctors had violated the Hippocratic Oath
guiding the medical profession, which compels a doctor to save the lives
of patients at all cost.
He added that doctors are bound by the oath to finish every medical procedure they start on a patient.
Falomo, however, said that new House Officers and resident doctors
to be employed by the state would have to sign an undertaking not to
engage in strike actions.
"Civil Service rules and regulations should be enforced to serve as a
deterrent to future occurrence of strike by Medical Doctors," he said.
"The Head of Service and Justice Department should also be
encouraged and committed for appropriate actions to be taken on erring
doctors."
Falomo suggested that salaries of the striking doctors should be
withheld and subjected to appropriate consideration, while doctors
presently on duty should get adequate compensation for extra work done.
For normalcy to return to state hospitals, Falomo added that Youth
Corps members who are doctors, should be deployed to emergency
departments of hospitals.
He also said the Association of General and Private Medical
Practitioners of Nigeria would step in to assist and attend to patients.
He further advised the striking doctors to see themselves as leaders and hold the profession in high esteem.
A member of the committee, Dr Tosin Ajayi, described the medical profession as peculiar.
"We are not against what they are asking for but as doctors, you
cannot suddenly down your tools. We are not operating a newspaper or
transport service; when it comes to human lives, we have to tread
softly," he said.
He appealed to the doctors to negotiate with the government to find a
lasting solution to incessant strikes in the state's health sector.-DAILY TIMES
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