ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has accused Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, of supervising the collapse of the critical health sector in the State.
This is coming 54 days after doctors in the State commenced an indefinite strike over a 25-month salary arrears owed doctors in the Abia State University Teaching Hospital Aba (ABSUTH); and their counterparts at the Health Management Board, (HMB).
NMA expressed shock over the inaction of the Ikpeazu-led Government towards resolving the impasse, and accused the Governor of insensitivity over the welfare of doctors.
The doctors lamented the plights of their colleagues following many months of salary arrears which they said, had exposed many of the affected doctors to financial embarrassment.
In a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Dr. Isaiah Abali; and Secretary, Dr Daniel Ekeleme; the NMA reminded Ikpeazu and Abians of the grave implications of the protracted indefinite strike on the health sector in the State.
The group also expressed concern over the de-accreditation of Abia State University Uturu College of Medicine by the National University Commission (NUC); and the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN, respectively.
NMA warned that Abia would soon have acute shortage of doctors as ABSU no longer admits medical students or graduate medical doctors.
The doctors said that the Governor should be held accountable for whatever harm that happened to the Abia health sector.
The statement read: “The strike embarked upon by Abia state doctors over the perennial nonpayment of salaries by Abia state government has entered its 54th day without any perceived action by the government to address the problem and save the Abia state public the ignominy of senseless deaths and medical complications arising from the impasse.
“It is disheartening and unfathomable that any government can allow such to continue while they go about their electioneering campaigns as if the lives of Abians and nay, doctors do not matter.
“No sane Government can rightly in good conscience perpetuate what is going on presently in the health sector of Abia State.”
Continuing, NMA said: “Perhaps of note is the withdrawal of accreditation by the MDCN that presently excludes Abia state university from admitting students into the college of medicine.
“Of note also is the impending withdrawal of accreditation by the NUC thereby foreclosing medical school training in Abia State University.
“Worse still, students presently admitted in various academic levels in the medical school would not be able to graduate. What an avoidable calamity!
“Of note also is that in the past eight years, no discernible medical /surgical Consultant has been employed in the ABSUTH. Resident doctors and House Officers all over the country avoid ABSUTH as a plague due to the profound underdevelopment of the hospital and nonpayment of salaries.
“With the possible retirements of the aging doctors in ABSUTH without replacement, it is expected that this former great facility that has produced great medical professionals all over the world would die a natural death.
“In January, many doctors from Abia State have not been able to pay their house rents prompting different types of embarrassments from landlords, not to talk about those who have gone borrowing in order to send their wards back to school.
“The toll is still counting – 26months now for doctors working in ABSUTH and 14 months for those working in HMB.”