GOVERNANCE appears to have reached a dead end, especially at the Federal level. Government is no longer responding adequately to the many challenges facing the nation.

Whether it is the imploding security situation all over the country, especially in the North West, several unconscionable breaches of efforts to control the coronavirus pandemic, security rumpus in Aso Villa, the complaints of frontline medical workers battling the pandemic or breaches in our air space for a concert, governance appears to be dozing away.

The National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, the umbrella body of public sector medical doctors, on Monday, June 15, 2020, embarked on an indefinite strike. NARD makes up about 40 per cent of doctors in Nigeria. According to its President, Dr. Aliyu Sokomba, the strike initially does not involve those treating COVID-19 patients. But if after two weeks their complaints are not addressed the frontline doctors will also join.

This is the second time that doctors are embarking on strike while the nation is still battling the COVID-19 pandemic.  On May 20, 2020, the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, the umbrella of all medical doctors, ordered its members to stop work over harassment by policemen at the checkpoints.

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The policemen were implementing a queer order from the Inspector General of Police not to allow any form of movement, even by essential workers. According to Sokomba, government has failed to provide for doctors’ welfare, such as personal protective equipment, hazard allowance enhancement, life insurance and death compensation for those who might fall in their efforts to save the lives of infected persons.

With 16,085 infected persons confirmed as of Monday this week and 420 deaths, over 800 medical workers have been infected with some deaths recorded.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, described the strike as “hasty” and blamed the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, OAGF, for delay in the payment of some of the emoluments due to the doctors.

Ngige’s shift of blame does not vitiate the fact that government’s ineffectiveness led to the strike. When doctors down tools even for one hour, thousands of lives that could have been saved can be lost. These are usually the ordinary people who cannot afford the huge fees demanded by private hospitals.

Government neglect of the education and health sectors has bred rafts of strikes annually in Nigeria.

We had thought that with the huge amount of funds generated for the fight against this pandemic the welfare of the medical workforce (including those not directly involved in the COVID-19 care) would be specially boosted to reward and encourage them to fight on for us.

We stand firmly with our doctors. But we also encourage them to keep in mind that whenever they go on strike, it is the poor masses that suffer.

VANGUARD