Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, has accused Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, of supervising the collapse of the health sector in the state.
NMA in an emotion-laden but terse statement, Saturday, expressed utter shock and bewilderment that 54 days after doctors proceeded on an indefinite strike in the state over salary arrears of 25 months, the Governor had remained adamant to the demands of the doctors.
The doctors in the statement jointly signed by NMA Chairman, Dr Isaiah Abali; and Secretary, Dr Daniel Ekeleme; decried the precarious condition of their colleagues whose salaries had not been paid for over two years.
NMA raised the alarm that Abia State would soon be in dire need of doctors following the de-accreditation of Abia State University Uturu College of Medicine by the National University Commission, NUC; and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN, respectively.
According to NMA, the implications of the sad development are that ABSU will no longer admit medical students or graduate medical doctors.
Below is a full text of the statement made available to Ikengaonline: “The strike embarked upon by Abia state doctors over the perennial nonpayment of salaries by Abia state government has entered its 54th day without any perceived action by the government to address the problem and save the Abia state public the ignominy of senseless deaths and medical complications arising from the impasse.
“It is disheartening and unfathomable that any government can allow such to continue while they go about their electioneering campaigns as if the lives of Abians and nay, doctors do not matter.
“The truth is that no sane Government can rightly in good conscience perpetuate what is going on presently in the health sector of Abia State.
“Perhaps of note is the withdrawal of accreditation by the MDCN that presently excludes Abia state university from admitting students into the college of medicine.
“Of note also is the impending withdrawal of accreditation by the NUC thereby foreclosing medical school training in Abia State University.
“Worse still, students presently admitted in various academic levels in the medical school would not be able to graduate. What an avoidable calamity!
“Of note also is that in the past eight years, no discernible medical /surgical Consultant has been employed in the ABSUTH. Resident doctors and House Officers all over the country avoid ABSUTH as a plague due to the profound underdevelopment of the hospital and nonpayment of salaries.
“With the possible retirements of the aging doctors in ABSUTH without replacement, it is expected that this former great facility that has produced great medical professionals all over the world would die a natural death.
“In January, many doctors from Abia State have not been able to pay their house rents prompting different types of embarrassments from landlords, not to talk about those who have gone borrowing in order to send their wards back to school.
“The toll is still counting – 26months now for doctors working in ABSUTH and 14 months for those working in HMB.”
