DOCTORS under the aegis of the Medical Guild are heading for a showdown with their employer, the Lagos State government, following issuance of threats and sanctions to doctors who participated in the suspended three-day warning strike of April 11-13, 2012.
Strong indications on this emerged, yesterday, following a directive mandating all doctors who participated in the strike to appear before a Personnel Management Board meeting, for disciplinary action starting from tomorrow to Thursday. By implication, all state- owned hospitals will operate without doctors.
Reacting to the development amid allegations of threats, blackmail with queries and other disciplinary actions, Chairman of the Medical and Dental Consultants of Nigeria, MDCAN, LASUTH branch, Dr. Adebowale Adekoya, said on the strength of a letter by Chief Medical Directors of teaching and general hospitals in the state, the doctors had been invited to provide explanations for their absence from their duty posts on those days the strike lasted.
In his reaction, Chairman of the Medical Guild, Dr. Olumuyiwa Odusote, who showed Vanguard copies of the query letters at a news briefing in Lagos, yesterday, said the state government had previously issued three query letters to the over 1,100 doctors who particpated in the industrial action.
On his part, Chairman, Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital Chapter, Dr Adebowale Adekoya, simply said: “An injury to one is an injury to all.”
Adekoya said the government’s action would further compound the problem of patients in the state as all doctors would leave their duty post to face the panel, warning that patients would be the worse for it.
However, he urged Lagosians to prevail on the state government to avert unnecessary loss of life that could result from the development.
Reacting to an alleged sack threat by the state government, Odusote said their members were not afraid of sack, noting that the state government should, however, sack all doctors en-masse and not on individual basis.
CMDs send query letters
Earlier, the Chief Medical Director of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) , Prof Wale Oke, had sent letter of query to the doctors who went on strike on April 16. The query read in part: “It has been observed that you were absent from duty between 11 and 13, April, without permission in violation of your terms of contract of employment.
“You are hereby to explain why disciplinary action should not be taken against you for violating terms of contract with LASUTH.
“Your response to this query should reach the undersigned through your Head of Department within 24 hours of receipt.”
The state government said in the query which read in part: “I wish to refer to the query dated the 16 April, 2012 served on you for being absent at your duty post from April 11 to 13 without permission.
“It is observed that you failed or refused or neglected to answer the query within the time given.
“This is an act of insubordination and amounts to misconduct in the Public Service. You are to give reason within 24 hours from the date of receipt of this letter why disciplinary action should not be taken against you.”
A copy of the letter served the doctors, yesterday, inviting them to a Personnel Management Board meeting read in part: “Further to the queries on absenteeism on April 16-18, issued to you, you are hereby invited to a PMB meeting as scheduled below onApril 25 at 10:00 a.m. at the Malaria Research Centre Board Room.”
Odusote accuses govt of blackmail
Odusote in his reaction to queries by the state government accused the government of resorting to threats of sack, sanctions and blackmail against members of the guild who participated in the strike.
He noted that issuing queries to over 1,100 doctors in the state could precipitate another strike by the Guild.
Odusote argued that rather than negotiate with the doctors, governmet was resorting to threats of punishment for members who particpated in the strike.
He said: “Instead of government to initiate moves to resolve the outstanding issues in the interest of industrial harmony and welfare of Lagosians, it (governmet) has embarked on a vendetta to punish the doctors by issuing queries and threatening to sack doctors for participating in the warning strike. The Lagos State government is yet to invite the association for discussions since the end of the warning strike on April 14, 2012.”
Odusote,however,warned that should the government continue with its threats of sack and sanctions,the doctors would not hesistate to resume its suspended industrial action.
“We urge the government to immediately withdraw all queries issued to our members as it is totally in breach of labour laws since the warning strike was legitimate and a resumption of the suspended action of 2010/2011.”
He urged, in the interest of Lagosians, that government towed the path of constructive negotiations with the union on their demands.
