By CHIOMA OBINNA
In an effort to placate striking medical doctors in the state, The Babatunde Fashola administration first adjusted its salary structure to 90 percent of Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, CONMESS, which translates that a senior Consultant in the state would earn as high as N700, 015.50 as take home pay every month while a fresh doctor will earn N207, 629.75.

Unfortunately, the effort did not yield appreciable result as the doctors remain adamant saying its either 100 percent or no work.

Apparently determined to end the crisis, the State Government, precisely on February 21st, 2011 came up with another Salary Structure adjustment which claimed to have accommodated 100 per cent CONMESS.
This time around, the consultants could earn up to N801,000 like their counterparts in Federal employment.
Yet, the doctors are still crying foul saying the government was being smart by half. Meanwhile, the strike and unwarranted death of innocent citizens continues.

The new govt
concession

Individuals and Lagos
state government, in their bid to resolve the four – weeks protracted medical doctors’ strike in the state, have made series of efforts.
Apart from pleas from notable organizations and civil society groups, there have been other efforts to broker peace between the medical doctors and the Lagos State government.
Although, the Lagos State Government initially argued that they were not part of the negotiating team at Abuja, the state government has shown what could be seen as appreciable efforts towards resolving the crisis in the state.
For instance, it initially, adjusted its salary structure to 90 percent of CONMESS, which translates that a senior Consultant in the state would earn as high as N700, 015.50 as take home pay every month while a fresh doctor will earn N207, 629.75.
Unfortunately, non of these efforts has yielded appreciable results as the doctors are still adamant on their demands.
Apparently to ensure that the crisis is resolved, the State Government, precisely on 21st, 2011 came up with another Salary Structure adjustment which claimed to have accommodated 100 per cent CONMESS
According to the circular announcing the new salary structure; “the take-off point for the implementation of the new salary structures had been pegged at Steps 1 and 2 respectively for all categories of officers depending on their Grade Steps on the old salary structures.
“I wish to inform you that Government has magnanimously approved the extension of the Steps on the various Grade Levels of the New Salary Structures to ensure progression of annual incremental steps as follows:
Grade Levels 1 – 10 – Steps 1 – 15; Grade Levels 12 – 14 – Steps 1 – 11 and Grade Levels 15 – 17 – Steps 1 – 9.
However, since the approval of the circular with reference number 002/2011 and entitled; “Elongation of Grade Steps on the new Salary Structures”, the new structure which was meant to bring back the fragile peace in the state’s health sector has fueled the crisis the more. While the Government is claiming that the new structure was established with good intentions the doctors say the new salary structure was nothing but a pure demotion.
The circular, signed by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Eniola Yonwuren, also states that for the payment of the new salary package to commence in February, 2011, there is a compelling need at this time, for officers to migrate to the new Salary Structures on the Start Points in accordance with the Conversion Table below, while retaining their respective Grade Levels.
Yonwuen claimed that the action was to enable Government work within the framework of the provisions of Year 2011
From the conversation table; it shows that the state government has compressed the grade steps level to only 1 and 2, which translates that many of the senior medical doctors including other state government workers on grade 12 and above may move back to step one. A situation which the doctors say it is against the labour law.
According to the doctors, there must be an offence before anybody is demoted.
The Structure also revealed that a consultant will earn as much as N801,985.08 and a fresh doctor will be receiving N173.927.33.

Govt’s old position

According to the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, the State Government has said it cannot afford to pay the controversial Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) as demanded by the doctors arguing that the State Government was never part of the negotiating team that agreed on the payment of CONMESS in Abuja.

“If the Government is going to accede to the demand of the doctors it would cost the state a whooping N1.8 billion monthly. “With a current population of over 18 million people, a government_owned teaching hospital, tertiary health facilities, 24 general hospitals and 276 functional primary health clinics and a health work force of over 12,000, the burden of implementing this new salary structure in the state is definitely huge. Furthermore, there are other similar demands from other sectors, which the state government has to contend with.”

“Why must striking doctors give government ultimatum to pay CONMESS when the state is not part of the negotiation between Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and the Federal government. The situation in the state is quite different from that of the federal government. We have a budgetary provision that is different from that of federal government. The CONMESS, which the doctor’s demand is not part of the Lagos State budgetary provision of this year.”

On what they are doing to remedy the situation, he said members of the Association of Private Doctors in the state are currently assisting, particularly for emergency cases. “We will ensure minimally that all emergency centres operate in all the hospitals. We assure you that we will reduce the number of deaths as much as possible in all the hospitals.”

Idris added that the state is already implementing the salary structure that was mutually agreed upon last year.

We have also adjusted our salary structure to at least 90 per cent of CONMESS.

With the new salary structure, a consultant in the state will receive N700,015.50 as take home pay every month while a new entraint will be getting N207,629.75.

Idris, said the new wage bill had met the 90 to 95 per cent of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure,
CONMESS, being demanded by the doctors.

“We are appealing to them to call off the strike. The difference between what they are asking for is just less
than N80,000 or less than N50.000 or more. Compare to what they were earning before, may be about N300,000 or more. We are even thinking that this is not the end. There are other things government is planning for them. We are even looking into the issue of housing. We have already distributed cars to them.
The nurses also have issues but they have not called for strike. This is just an appeal again to them, they should call off the strike to reduce the sufferings on the masses while we continue to negotiate

Striking doctors position

According to the Chairman of the Guild, Dr Williams Oyebode; “It is not acceptable. The new salary structure was not in conformity with CONMESS.

“With what they say they will pay, the highest hierarchy of doctors which is the consultants will be paid N700,000 while their contemporaries in the federal service are being paid N801,000 monthly. It is unacceptable. If they can adjust to N700,000, we believe they can do it.”

“This very strike is very unfortunate and we did not expect the strike to commence because we thought that our agreement with the state government will be implemented to the full but unfortunately government reneged in the implementation of the agreement.

“After calling off the strike after 14 weeks duration, there was an agreement between us and the government in terms of consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), reduction of tax, reinstatement of our sacked immediate chairman. But all these agreement were not fulfilled.

“After suspending the strike last December, around 14 to weeks, we wrote about three letters to the government, body of doctors, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) ordered all the states that have not started full implementation of the CONMESS to embark on indefinite strike from January 10th, but because of the agreement that we have with the government, we instructed our members not to embark on that strike that they should maintain peace, thinking that government will fulfill its promises.

But unfortunately, what the government offered during the meeting was not in conformity with CONMESS. And the principle of CONMESS stated that any doctor in any part of the country either in the rural or urban area, federal, local and state should receive the same amount of money in any level or step that such doctor is.

“And the government has this table with them since two years ago. And when they brought their new table, we found out that the table was already compressed. The compressed the table in such a way that a doctor who has been in step 9 level 17 will come down either to step 2 or 1. and what this means is that if you are in step one to six you will be in step one. And if you are in step 7 and above, you will be taken to step two and that means that they demoted people without any offence.

On Dr Olaifa’s case
Oyebode said’ “On the issue of Dr. Olaifa, we agreed that he must be reinstated but we now realise that the letter that was given to Olaifa instructed him to withdraw his court case and also write a letter of appeal which is against what we have already agreed.

“How can we be on an agreement for a certain issue for six months and now coming within two weeks telling him to withdraw the court case?.

“What we agree on was that Olaifa should be reinstated which they agreed but they are now saying that Dr. Olaifa should write an application letter accompanied by a letter of appeal and also withdraw his court case which will be disadvantage to Olaifa.

“If at all he withdraws his court case and they did not reinstate him, he can’t go back to the court again. Olaifa must be reinstated,” he said.