The First Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association, Lagos State, Dr. Moruf Abdulsalam, says worsening economic conditions are making doctors adopt a more militant approach in demanding better welfare.
Speaking an interview with ARISE NEWS on Sunday, Abdulsalam said doctors are increasingly taking a hard line because of financial pressures and concerns over their health and welfare.
“Many of the decisions that healthcare workers or doctors in particular take now are mainly economic, mainly economic. People have been pushed to the wall and they are being pushed to want to defend themselves, They are already down and who is down fears no fall. So because of this, doctors are now becoming more militant in their approach.”
Abdulsalam said doctors were being forced to make difficult decisions when their welfare needs were not adequately addressed. “If you cannot take care of my health and welfare needs, then I may as well also abandon my duties or my responsibilities as the case may be.”
He also explained the growing pressure on doctors is also contributing to industrial action by resident doctors, with economic realities serving as a major factor behind their demands. “So it is this economic reality that is pushing or that has been a catalyst for many of the heartstands that you see that doctors or even our resident doctors are going through.
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Abdulsalam said doctors would prefer to remain at their places of work if their welfare concerns were addressed. “Certainly, many of us, I mean, we’ll be happy to do our job, we’ll be happy to be in our places of work.”
He said financial pressures could make doctors support strike action when their unions call for it. “If once his union declares strike, he will be well and happy to join that strike because he knows that that strike will force government to the table and then he will have a need to respite.”
