The House of Representatives Committee on Healthcare Services on Friday held a marathon meeting with the Federal Government and leadership of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors as well as other stakeholders over the ongoing nationwide strike by doctors.
After the closed-door meeting that lasted five hours, the committee and the Federal Ministry of Health pleaded with the doctors to suspend their industrial action in the interest of the poor masses who cannot afford health services in private facilities.
Chairman of the committee, Tanko Sununu, while briefing journalists after the meeting, disclosed that the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, is to meet with the NARD on Tuesday in the efforts by the lawmakers to resolve the dispute between the government and the doctors.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Abdulaziz Abdullahi, also said, “You have seen that we have had a very robust meeting and discussion for close to five hours today and he (Sununu) has given you the highlights of the discussion. The ministry is 100 per cent in alignment with the decisions reached.”
When asked if the strike would be called off soon, Abdullahi said, “We are pleading with the doctors to look into the issue and see reason. Nigerians are suffering. Just like he (Sununu) said, not everybody can afford to, in the event of anybody falling ill, go to a private hospital.
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