Dr. Enabulele said that the action is undoubtedly an unproductive decision capable of further worsening the crisis and the challenges in the health sector.

“This latest action of the Federal Government clearly indicates that most of our political office holders hardly learn lessons from history, or else why would a government in this 21st century apply a most draconian option that never succeeded even under the military regime of General Muhammadu Buhari in 1985 or the infamous authoritarian dismissal of 774 doctors by the Babatunde Raji Fashola-led Lagos state government in 2012.

“I am most appalled by the use of an extreme, unwarranted and retrogressive measure by the present federal government, especially at this time of public health emergency when members of the Nigerian Medical Association across the 36 states of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory are visibly in the field contributing their quota towards the containment of the Ebola virus disease outbreak, irrespective of the non-provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and a miserable hazard allowance of N5, 000 per month.

The negative consequences of the government decision, he said, are unimaginable. “For one, the current poor health indices of Nigeria will further nose dive, especially on account of the immense dearth of skilled medical manpower in Nigeria.

“Currently, Nigeria has an abysmal doctor-patient population ratio of 1; 6,300. With this action of government the ratio will further decline to about 1:15, 500.

“Nigeria has less than 3,000 Specialist Medical and Dental practitioners (Consultants) providing specialist medical and dental care to over 170 million Nigerians.

Dr. Enabulele said that there are lots of Nigerian trained medical specialists constantly migrating to countries with better work conditions/conditions of service and enabling environment.

As at the end of 2013, he said that there were over 4,000 Nigerian trained Specialist medical/dental practitioners in Britain alone and many more in the United States of America.

“With this action of government, there is bound to be worsening of the brain drain phenomenon with increased migration of doctors and specialist medical/dental practitioners abroad.

“This will certainly worsen the health human resource crisis in Nigeria. Surely, it will deprive Nigeria of the required skilled medical/dental manpower needed to handle the increasingly complex medical/dental conditions of the 21st century.

“Similarly, the morbidity and mortality indices are sure to worsen on account of this shocking and highly despicable action of government.

The former NMA boss said that the deficit in health human resource caused by the intense brain drain that followed the reckless proscription of NMA and NARD by the General Muhammadu Buhari regime in 1985 is yet to be surmounted. The current action, he said, will certainly worsen the brain drain phenomenon, widen the gap in health human resource and further weaken Nigeria’s fragile health system.

He therefore call on President Goodluck Jonathan to listen to the voices of reason, quickly reflect on his decision, and reverse the Federal Government’s decision to suspend RTP in Nigeria and the sack over 16, 000 Nigeria doctors.

He said that there is still room for constructive dialogue and amicable resolution of the current dispute between the Federal Government and Nigerian doctors.

“I therefore sincerely and passionately call on the President to draw back on his extreme action and initiate a more amicable and statesmanly resolution of the disputes and challenges in the Health sector.

“It should not be in his time that Nigeria witnessed a free fall in her health indices. The situation certainly is still rescuable and I expect President Jonathan to reverse the decision before the consequential damage to Nigeria’s health sector becomes irreversible.

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The association was scheduled to commence the strike action on January 6.

The association however said it would meet with President Goodluck Jonathan  on February 7 2014 to reappraise the situation adding that it would resume the strike if nothing positive was done by government.

NMA President, Dr. Osahon Enabulele who disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja directed health practitioners especially Doctors and Dental practitioners in government hospitals nationwide to suspend withdrawal of services to pave way for the final resolution of the crises.

According to him, the decision to suspend the action was in appreciation of the intervention of Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; Minister of  Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu; Minister of Labour and Productivity, Emeka Nwogu and Nigerians.

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Enabulele, in a statement in Lagos, said that all doctors in the public health sector would resume full services with effect from 8.00 a.m. on Dec. 23.

The NMA had on Dec.15 directed its members to embark on the nationwide strike.

The action is to protest against the doctors’ poor working conditions, inadequate funding, and poor infrastructure in the nation’s health sector.

“NMA wishes to inform the general public that doctors in the public health sector will resume services from Dec. 23. This is in line with our earlier promise to give prime consideration to the Yuletide season in the prosecution of our warning strike.

“Also, to give another opportunity for the Federal Government to concretely resolve all the demands of NMA for which it first issued a 21-day ultimatum on Sept. 2,” he said.

Enabulele also called on the Federal Government to ensure that the demands of doctors were met.

“Nigerian doctors shall not hesitate to commence a full blown strike from 8.00 a.m. on Jan. 6, 2014, if government does not satisfactorily resolve the demands of doctors.

“We fervently call on all well-meaning Nigerians to assist in the resolution of the demands of the NMA.

The demand includes appropriate funding of Nigeria’s healthcare system, expansion of universal health coverage to cover all Nigerians and health infrastructure upgrade.

Activities in all the government-owned hospitals nationwide were paralysed during the five-day strike by medical doctors.

The five-day strike paralysed activities in all health facilities in Lagos as consultants and resident doctors were unavailable to attend to hundreds of patients who thronged the hospitals. (

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The association said the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, “should be held responsible for any crisis that could erupt in the health sector.”

The President of NMA, Dr. Osahon Enabulele, in a statement  said the latest threat to commence strike followed an alleged breach of an agreement reached with the Federal Government especially on some health sector challenges, workplace conditions and the conditions of service of doctors.

He recalled that on September 2, 2013, the NMA issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to address the issues tabled before it.

Enabulele said, “On account of the foregoing, it may be difficult to guarantee further extension of the grace period and consequently, industrial harmony in the health sector, especially as the December 14, 2013 deadline issued to the Federal Government to concretely resolve the demands of the NMA draws closer.

“Therefore the NMA most distressingly alerts the entire nation about the imminent collapse of health services across the entire country given the apparent levity and lack of concrete commitment so far exhibited by the government through the Federal Ministry of Health.”

According to Enabulele, efforts by the NMA to engage the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Health “even at this eleventh hour collapsed following the unserious approach and attitude of the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Health, who seem to be less bordered about the potential crisis which may erupt in Nigeria’s health sector from Saturday, December 14, 2013.”

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