ASSOCIATION OF RESIDENT DOCTORS (ARD) UNIVERSITY OF UYO TEACHING HOSPITAL (UUTH)& NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT GENERAL MEDICAL AND DENTALPRACTITIONERS (NAGGMDP)-AKWA IBOM STATE OFFICIALDISSOCIATION OF ASSOCIATION OF RESIDENT DOCTORS (ARD)UNIVERSITY OF UYO TEACHING HOSPITAL (UUTH)& NATIONALASSOCIATION OF GOVERNMENT GENERAL MEDICAL AND DENTALPRACTITIONERS (NAGGMDP) -AKWA IBOM STATE FROMINDUSTRIAL ACTION EMBARKED ON BY DR. EMEM ABRAHAM,CHAIRMAN NIGERIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION – AKWA IBOMSTATE

The leadership of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD UUTH) and National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners Akwa Ibom State have been immensely distressed following the abduction of a retired colleague of ours. We consider this extremely painful and extend our full sympathies with the family. Consequently as a leadership we have constantly engaged with the different arms of the security agencies and we are hopeful, believing in the firm assurances offered by the gentlemen of the security agencies, that our colleague will return to us shortly.
During the period, the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association, in the first instance declared a 3-day warning strike and just yesterday (18th May, 2024) declared an INDEFINITE AND TOTAL STRIKE affecting all hospitals, including federal (UUTH), State Government General Hospitals, Health Centres and private hospitals).
THE ISSUES

During the declaration of the initial 3 days warning strike, no vote was cast to determine if members wanted a strike or not. The NMA constitution clearly states that the Congress is the highest decision making body of the NMA, and on any issue where there is a motion and counter motion, the house must be divided and a vote cast. Despite strong protestations from the mover of a counter motion and its seconder alongside other members, The NMA Chairman dictatorially, in her characteristic high-handedness, ignored the call for a vote on whether doctors should proceed on a strike or not.
The NMA declared a strike on Wednesday (15th May, 2024) and contrary to extant Labour laws, as at Friday morning did not send a strike notice formally communicating that decision to our employers. Several judgments of the National Industrial Courts is clear as to the right procedure for withdrawal of services. We find it appalling that a leadership that should know, will act in a way that puts the career of our members at risk.
Just yesterday the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA)-AKS declared a TOTAL AND INDEFINITE STRIKE ACTION without proper consultations and without any prior 21 days notice to the Government, public and our employers. For the benefit of the public, a total strike means no emergency services, no labour ward services or childbirth, etc. Of course this action takes shelter in the wrong side of the law and it is sad that a leadership you think should have the privilege of those who know the law to advise it will continue to drag a body of highly respected professionals to act in a way that will subject us to ridicule in the court of public opinion.
The more ridiculous and shameful part is that Madam Chairman called a meeting to take a decision to cripple health services in the entire state and scheduled it for 4:00pm on Saturday, 18th May, 2024 and then sent words across that she preferred to attend a BURIAL CEREMONY over a congress she summoned as Chairman. How responsible or irresponsible is that?
Please take into consideration the outcome of the Congress and its impact on Society while she attended a burial.
THE MORAL ISSUES
By our training as doctors, we are to do the highest good for the highest number of persons.
Let us ask during this strikes, will our women not give birth, will accidents not occur, will emergencies not happen? What is the offence of those unborn babies? If the kidnappers put one life or even two at risk, should we as
doctors put 100 more at risk?
As we speak, there is an extant “no work no pay policy” that will affect
Resident doctors and House Officers in UUTH, of which the Director of Hospital Services of the Federal Ministry of Health has already contacted the President of the ARD. Furthermore, House Officers training which is time-bound has been put on hold.
It is also pertinent to note that a Strike Monitoring Team was set up which caught owners of Private hospitals especially those who passionately insisted on the strike seeing hundreds of patients whom they diverted to their private hospitals. The owners of these particular hospitals insisted on closure of the Government hospitals which cater to the poor but did not close their own hospitals. We are aware that the NMA Chairman, because those involved are her peers, have swept it under the carpet necessitating the Chairman of the Strike Monitoring Team to resign. What has NMA done to those private hospitals and their owners? Why focus on the only services available to the poor in our society?
OUR STAND
Considering the illegality of the strike action not following well-established protocols for withdrawal of services either due to ignorance or unnecessary pride, considering the duplicity of denying the poor health services in
Government facilities while festering the pockets of private hospital owners, the leaderships of the National Association of Government General, Medical and Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP-AKS), being the body of doctors exclusively working for the Government of Akwa Ibom State and the Association of Resident Doctors (UUTH), both Associations being the 1st and 2nd largest affiliates, do hereby dissociate ourselves from the purported TOTAL AND INDEFINITE industrial action by Dr. Emem Abraham, Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association Akwa Ibom State.

The said declaration does not reflect the considered, usually contemplative, opinion of our members, severally and as a group.

NAGGMDP-AKS & ARD UUTH will explore alternative options to ensure our dear colleague is released immediately while still attending to our patients at our places of primary assignment.

The leadership calls on all her members to report to duty while the
Associations engage with the Government to handle the challenge.
The leadership also frowns at the absence of the NMA-AKS Chairman at a sensitive meeting which she had orchestrated to cripple health services to the public while preferring to attend a burial ceremony.

Our various Congresses will be communicated soonest.