The Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU), Federal Medical Center (FMC), Asaba chapter has threatened to drag the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria and Nigeria Medical Association (MDCAN/NMA), to court over the irrational decision to embark on the on-going strike action in government hospitals.

The chairman of JOHESU, FMC, Asaba, Comrade Tony Asiodu, in a statement also called on Nigerians to condemn the strike action which he described as ego-bloating and prejudice, an Abuja Court had already restrained them in Suit no. NIC/ABJ/177/2014, from embarking on strike.

In the statement which was also signed by the Secretary Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, (AMLSN) FMC chapter, Comrade Benjamin Ajufo, they stated that “Nigerians must say no to MDCAN/NMA that has become anti people. The Nigerian Government should not allow herself to be blackmailed by MDCAN/NMA. She should first and foremost challenge MDCAN/NMA for acts of impunity against the state”.

They explained that the major demands of medical doctors in the on-going strike were anti-people, especially opposition to the appointment of medical personnel as consultants, approval of specialists allowance and support for illegal office of the DCMAC.

According to them, the statement made by MDCAN that in the Health Sector it is only medical doctors that are appointed Consultants, and that the term is an exclusive designation for doctors, is not correct, as in all parts of the world, adding that healthcare professionals who are not doctors are appointed Consultants in their chosen areas of specialization.

Moreover, they stated that restoring consultancy status to other healthcare professional was the right thing to do and the President through the agents of government acted in line with section 18(1) of the University Teaching Hospital (Reconstruction of Boards etc) ACT CAP U 15 ,VOL 15. LFN 2004, for the approval.

They also chided the medical doctors for faulting government decision to obey court order, stressing that no court has voided the judgement of the National Industrial Court (NIC) which the government is acting upon.

They called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency support the Natural Medicine Development Agency, to check incessant strikes by orthodox and to reposition our Traditional Medicine to be like what is seen in China, USA, U.K, India, Korea etc, saying that natural medicine should be integrated into the mainstream Healthcare System in Nigeria.