By Vincent Ujumadu, AWKA
MEDICAL and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria has waded into the 12 –month old doctors’ strike in Anambra State, pledging to dialogue with the state government to ensure that the strike was called off without further delay.

Officials of the association, who were in Anambra State for their annual general meeting being hosted by the Nnamdi Azikiwe University University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, seized the opportunity to visit the Government House in Awka with a view to discussing the matter with Governor Peter Obi but could not do so because the governor was attending the Economic Council meeting in Abuja. They however, discussed with the commissioner for health, Professor Amobi Ilika, although details of their discussion was not made public.

Addressing newsmen after the meeting, national president of the association, Professor Amos Gadzama said the consultants were pained that doctors in the state have been on strike for one year and no genuine effort was being made to reverse the situation.

He said: “We have gone around Anambra State and seen the effect of the strike. It is very painful that the expertise of our members is not being utilized in the state and this is not good for the generality of the people.

“Because of the seriousness of this issue, we will reschedule a meeting with the governor because we cannot afford to ignore the suffering of the people who need the services of our members.

“The state government has built excellent health facilities, but they are meaningless if they cannot function because of the doctors’ strike and we cannot fold our hands over this matter.”

According to him, the doctors reached agreement with the federal government on the consolidated salary scale for the doctors, which is binding on the states, adding that Anambra State was expected to obey it.

Anambra State secretary of the association, Dr. Titus Chukwuanukwu said it was self deceit to feel that the health facilities were functioning when doctors are on strike, adding that the strike has affected al the healthcare indices for the state.

He urged the state government to look at the issue holistically and consider the interest of the people who the politicians were elected to serve.

Saturday Vanguard recalls that the striking doctors and the state government had held several meetings to resolve the matter, but were unable to reach an agreement.

At a point, the doctors had to embark on a street demonstration in Awka to drive home their point and. Other medical practitioners in the state, including those in private practice, even had to join them for one day, but the matter was still unresolved.

Commissioner for health, Amobi Ilika said the resources of the state could not carry the demands of the doctors.