The decision of Lagos State doctors to resume an indefinite strike over alleged non-implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) is unfortunate, as it is bound to adversely affect the average citizen who can ill-afford private hospitals for his medical needs. Both the doctors and the Lagos State Government should sheathe their swords and address the issue as a matter of urgent public interest. To do otherwise is to toy with the health and lives of the people.The idea of the strike is even more tragic, coming only a couple of months after the doctors ended a strike that lasted for about 14 weeks, over the same issue. It is indeed lamentable that the matter remains yet unresolved.To justify their strike action last year, the doctors had demanded the full implementation of CONMESS, a reinstatement of their former chairman, Dr. Ibrahim Olaifa, and stoppage of the payment of taxes on some of their allowances. The government had sacked Olaifa on the premise that as a civil servant, he was barred from giving information to the public except with due authority; and that he stoked the fire of industrial action on television while he was supposed to be on sick leave.Government reached a truce with the doctors last November, following pledges to honour the CONMESS. Resuming the strike however, the doctors voted 143 to 27 in support of another strike; there were six abstentions. The chairman of the Medical Guild in Lagos justified the action on the grounds that the state government had failed to implement the CONMESS based on the agreement reached in November last year.On its part, the Lagos state government has decried the strike as ill-motivated, and calculated to coerce government into making concessions that may undermine the socio-economic stability of the state. Government particularly lamented the threat that the strike poses to the lives of hapless patients in the hospitals.The state government insists that it has taken genuine steps to accelerate the implementation of the agreement with the doctors, through the integration of their demand into the 2011 budget that has been passed by the state legislature and signed into law by Governor Raji Fashola. This means that the beneficiaries of the upward review of salaries will begin to receive their new pay at the end of February, with the arrears of January. Since Olaifa had taken government to court over his dismissal, government pledged to abide by the courts decision.Barring any hidden plan on the part of the two parties, it does appear that the most serious ground for the resumed strike is the doctors demand for Olaifas reinstatement. On the payment of the new salary, the doctors should give government the benefit of the doubt to pay in February, which is almost at an end.It would seem too that government is keen to treat Olaifa as a scapegoat. Inviting him to the Personnel Management Board to answer charges for speaking on television while on sick leave was merely an attempt to legitimise his eventual dismissal. The state government could have been more liberal in handling the Olaifa case. His sack, for whatever reason, coming in the heat of a strike by the union he led, was bound to raise questions about official intolerance of workers right to unionise and seek improved welfare.If Olaifas disengagement from service is indeed the main issue, the Lagos state government should be magnanimous to concede to the doctors and recall him. If this happens, the case in court will naturally be disposed of quickly, and a protracted conflict would have been avoided.The doctors should be mindful too of their professional vow to save lives. Without prejudice to their rights to demand improved welfare, the ordinary citizens of Lagos are frustrated and tired of constant disruption in health service delivery. They should also imbibe the culture of going through due process in declaring industrial dispute. The Medical Elders Forum, led by Dr. Ore Falomo has for instance criticised the renewed strike as a betrayal of trust, insisting that the doctors could have employed other means to press for their demands.Ultimately, the warring parties should consider the health of members of the public as most paramount, considering that most of them are indigent and cannot afford private medical care, let alone overseas treatment.The instability in the Lagos health sector has dragged on for too long and members of the public are the losers. Lagos doctors should emulate their Edo State counterparts who recently suspended their seven-day warning strike over the same CONMESS. It is time to give peace a chance.The decision of Lagos State doctors to resume an indefinite strike over alleged non-implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) is unfortunate, as it is bound to adversely affect the average citizen who can ill-afford private hospitals for his medical needs. Both the doctors and the Lagos State Government should sheathe their swords and address the issue as a matter of urgent public interest. To do otherwise is to toy with the health and lives of the people. The idea of the strike is even more tragic, coming only a couple of months after the doctors ended a strike that lasted for about 14 weeks, over the same issue. It is indeed lamentable that the matter remains yet unresolved. To justify their strike action last year, the doctors had demanded the full implementation of CONMESS, a reinstatement of their former chairman, Dr. Ibrahim Olaifa, and stoppage of the payment of taxes on some of their allowances. The government had sacked Olaifa on the premise that as a civil servant, he was barred from giving information to the public except with due authority; and that he stoked the fire of industrial action on television while he was supposed to be on sick leave. Government reached a truce with the doctors last November, following pledges to honour the CONMESS. Resuming the strike however, the doctors voted 143 to 27 in support of another strike; there were six abstentions. The chairman of the Medical Guild in Lagos justified the action on the grounds that the state government had failed to implement the CONMESS based on the agreement reached in November last year. On its part, the Lagos state government has decried the strike as ill-motivated, and calculated to coerce government into making concessions that may undermine the socio-economic stability of the state. Government particularly lamented the threat that the strike poses to the lives of hapless patients in the hospitals.The state government insists that it has taken genuine steps to accelerate the implementation of the agreement with the doctors, through the integration of their demand into the 2011 budget that has been passed by the state legislature and signed into law by Governor Raji Fashola. This means that the beneficiaries of the upward review of salaries will begin to receive their new pay at the end of February, with the arrears of January. Since Olaifa had taken government to court over his dismissal, government pledged to abide by the courts decision. Barring any hidden plan on the part of the two parties, it does appear that the most serious ground for the resumed strike is the doctors demand for Olaifas reinstatement. On the payment of the new salary, the doctors should give government the benefit of the doubt to pay in February, which is almost at an end. It would seem too that government is keen to treat Olaifa as a scapegoat. Inviting him to the Personnel Management Board to answer charges for speaking on television while on sick leave was merely an attempt to legitimise his eventual dismissal. The state government could have been more liberal in handling the Olaifa case. His sack, for whatever reason, coming in the heat of a strike by the union he led, was bound to raise questions about official intolerance of workers right to unionise and seek improved welfare. If Olaifas disengagement from service is indeed the main issue, the Lagos state government should be magnanimous to concede to the doctors and recall him. If this happens, the case in court will naturally be disposed of quickly, and a protracted conflict would have been avoided. The doctors should be mindful too of their professional vow to save lives. Without prejudice to their rights to demand improved welfare, the ordinary citizens of Lagos are frustrated and tired of constant disruption in health service delivery. They should also imbibe the culture of going through due process in declaring industrial dispute. The Medical Elders Forum, led by Dr. Ore Falomo has for instance criticised the renewed strike as a betrayal of trust, insisting that the doctors could have employed other means to press for their demands.Ultimately, the warring parties should consider the health of members of the public as most paramount, considering that most of them are indigent and cannot afford private medical care, let alone overseas treatment. The instability in the Lagos health sector has dragged on for too long and members of the public are the losers. Lagos doctors should emulate their Edo State counterparts who recently suspended their seven-day warning strike over the same CONMESS. It is time to give peace a chance.
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