Some doctors, under the aegis of the
Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Osun, on Thursday staged a peaceful
protest in Osogbo against continue payment of half salaries by the state
government. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the doctors dressed
in their laboratory coats and branded shirts during the protest.
NAN reports that they marched from the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching
Hospital (LAUTECH) Complex, Osogbo through the popular Olaiya Junction to other
major streets in the state capital. The doctors were armed with placards of
various inscriptions and singing anti-government songs. Olajumoke said that
this was contrary to the state government’s claims that it had spent N10 billion
to improve the sector.
He said that many sick people lost their lives in the state due to
non-availability of drugs and modern equipment for doctors to work within the
hospitals. Olajumoke said that the doctors might consider strike as the last
option, if the protest failed to achieve the desired result. He said in spite
of the fact that the doctors were receiving half salaries, government was still
deducting full tax from what he described as “amputated salaries”. Olajumoke
appealed to the state government to improve facilities in the hospitals and pay
full salaries to the doctors.
In an interview with NAN, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Rafiu Kusamotu,
appealed to the protesting doctors to be patient with the state government. Kusamotu
said though, there was need for proactive intervention in the sector, the state
government needed little more time for the newly constituted cabinet to get its
feet firmly on ground.
He said that the management and distribution of drugs, which was hitherto
supervised by the local governments, would henceforth be handled by the state
Ministry of Health for efficient management. (NAN). Dr Tokunbo Olajumoke, the
state NMA chairman, told newsmen during the protest that there was neither drug
nor equipment in any of the state government-owned hospital.
Some doctors, under the aegis of the
Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Osun, on Thursday staged a peaceful
protest in Osogbo against continue payment of half salaries by the state
government. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the doctors dressed
in their laboratory coats and branded shirts during the protest.
NAN reports that they marched from the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH) Complex, Osogbo through the popular Olaiya Junction to other major streets in the state capital. The doctors were armed with placards of various inscriptions and singing anti-government songs. Olajumoke said that this was contrary to the state government’s claims that it had spent N10 billion to improve the sector.
He said that many sick people lost their lives in the state due to non-availability of drugs and modern equipment for doctors to work within the hospitals. Olajumoke said that the doctors might consider strike as the last option, if the protest failed to achieve the desired result. He said in spite of the fact that the doctors were receiving half salaries, government was still deducting full tax from what he described as “amputated salaries”. Olajumoke appealed to the state government to improve facilities in the hospitals and pay full salaries to the doctors.
In an interview with NAN, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Rafiu Kusamotu, appealed to the protesting doctors to be patient with the state government. Kusamotu said though, there was need for proactive intervention in the sector, the state government needed little more time for the newly constituted cabinet to get its feet firmly on ground.
He said that the management and distribution of drugs, which was hitherto supervised by the local governments, would henceforth be handled by the state Ministry of Health for efficient management. (NAN). Dr Tokunbo Olajumoke, the state NMA chairman, told newsmen during the protest that there was neither drug nor equipment in any of the state government-owned hospital.
NAN reports that they marched from the Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital (LAUTECH) Complex, Osogbo through the popular Olaiya Junction to other major streets in the state capital. The doctors were armed with placards of various inscriptions and singing anti-government songs. Olajumoke said that this was contrary to the state government’s claims that it had spent N10 billion to improve the sector.
He said that many sick people lost their lives in the state due to non-availability of drugs and modern equipment for doctors to work within the hospitals. Olajumoke said that the doctors might consider strike as the last option, if the protest failed to achieve the desired result. He said in spite of the fact that the doctors were receiving half salaries, government was still deducting full tax from what he described as “amputated salaries”. Olajumoke appealed to the state government to improve facilities in the hospitals and pay full salaries to the doctors.
In an interview with NAN, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Rafiu Kusamotu, appealed to the protesting doctors to be patient with the state government. Kusamotu said though, there was need for proactive intervention in the sector, the state government needed little more time for the newly constituted cabinet to get its feet firmly on ground.
He said that the management and distribution of drugs, which was hitherto supervised by the local governments, would henceforth be handled by the state Ministry of Health for efficient management. (NAN). Dr Tokunbo Olajumoke, the state NMA chairman, told newsmen during the protest that there was neither drug nor equipment in any of the state government-owned hospital.
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