By Chris Otaigbe
In response to several reported harassment by the men of the Lagos State Police Command, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), has directed its members to begin a sit-at-home strike starting from 6pm Wednesday, 20th May, 2020.
This was contained in a statement issued to the media signed by Dr. Saliu Oseni and Dr. Ramon Moronkola, Chairman and Secretary of the NMA, respectively.
Communicating the resolutions of the Doctors and Health workers to the media, the Doctors stated that the strike will continue indefinitely, until such time when the Government and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu are clear on how they wish to operationalize the lockdown/restriction of movement directive as it relates to essential service and service providers, including healthcare services and doctors.
The group also demanded that a written statement, signed by Government and the appropriate Police Authorities, with clear terms on the status of essential services, including healthcare services and its providers, should be issued, advertised in the social and mainstream media, and a copy submitted to the Secretariat of the Lagos State Branch of NMA.
According to the Health sector staff, now fondly referred to as the Covid-19 frontline medical army, it was noted that whereas the directives of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhamadu Buhari, through the Presidential Taskforce on Covid-19, was clear on the exemption of essential workers including doctors and other health-workers from the ongoing lockdown/movement restrictions, the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, has been issuing conflicting directives on social and mainstream media to the effect that essential workers, including doctors and other health-workers are NOT exempted.
The NMA officials explained that as a direct result of conflicting directives of government and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, the Lagos State branch of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), was inundated yesterday (Tuesday, 19th of May, 2020) evening with several cases of harassments and intimidation of doctors and other health-workers by officers and men of the Lagos State Police Command.
They stated that the harassment happened when healthcare workers were either resuming duty, returning home, or on-transit to heed an emergency call.
“There was a most disturbing case of an ambulance conveying an injured patient which was prevented from moving to destination while the attending health-workers were harassed and temporarily detained. You will recall that this same ugly situation had occurred sometimes in the early phase of the ongoing lockdown/restriction of movement, based on similar conflicting directives from the State Commissioner of Police. It took the intervention of the Governor of the State, following a petition by the Association, for normalcy to be restored.” Said the Doctors.
Tired of the constant intimidation of its members by the Police, the Doctors stated that this time around, while it remains unclear how the Government and the Lagos State commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu, plan to operationalize the lockdown/restriction of movement directive, vis-à-vis the status of essential workers, including doctors and other health-workers, the Lagos State Branch of the NMA resolved that it is presently unsafe for her members to continue to provide healthcare services under the present confused arrangement.
Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), DSP Bala Elkana, said it is an isolated case and that the State Command have always had a cordial relationship with the State branch of the NMA.
“We have enjoyed a very cordial relationship between us and the NMA. Although, once in a while there may be conflicts here and there but we have always resolved it.” Said Bala.
He said the enforcement was not limited to one sector, explaining that where exempted service workers were affected it was always resolved such as the event of yesterday, which was resolved yesterday.
According to him, the curfew begins from 8pm and when the time starts, Police will mount road blocks to enforce the curfew. “Yesterday, there was traffic gridlock which affected even those who were exempted, unfortunately.” He said.
“That meant calls started flying back and forth to clarify the logjam and clear the exempted. Myself and the NMA PRO were on the phone throughout yesterday to resolve the matter amicably. Even the Commissioner of Police was also on the phone with the Chairman of the State of NMA.” He said.
At over 6,000 confirmed cases and close to 200 deaths, the role of medical doctors and health workers cannot be overemphasized.
The proposed strike by the Doctors and Health workers would further worsen the Covid-19 crisis.
