Worried by the incessant industrial actions in the health sector, especially in the tertiary health institutions and the attendant negative consequences, heads of teaching hospitals and medical centers owned by the Federal Government have been pleaded with to come up with robust and workable approach that could stem the ugly tide.
This plea was made by the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Sen. Lekan Balogun, CFR, Alli Okunmade II while playing host to the various heads of the Teaching Hospitals and Federal Medical Centres under the aegis of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Hospitals (CCMDFTH), who paid him a courtesy visit as part of the activities lined up for the Committee’s 103rd regular meeting being hosted by the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.
Olubadan, in a press statement made available to journalists in Ibadan by his Personal Assistant (Media), Oladele Ogunsola said the notoriety the nation’s health sector has assumed of recent when it comes to industrial action “calls for concern and serious brainstorming”, adding that “the ongoing conference of the Committee is a veritable platform to thrash out the issue.
“I urge you to please use this occasion of your gathering together to discuss the menace and proffer workable and lasting solutions to the problem. In doing this, I want you to be open-minded and considerate of the general situation in the country. You are to bear in mind that where two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. Let the love of our people be your guiding talk- point .
“It is an established fact that there are some irreducible minimum conditions under which you can function effectively and efficiently which I believe the present nation’s leadership would not deny. Let your relationship with it be more of dialogue rather than confrontation, bearing in mind that the sincerity of purpose of Mr. President is never in doubt from his displayed posture so far”, he added.
While wishing the medical practitioners a happy stay in his domain, Oba Balogun promised that he would interact with his colleague Obas across the country to lend traditional voice to their demands as occasion may demand, asking them to feel free to relate with the traditional institution as partners in progress for the well -being of the citizenry.
Prof. Emem Abasi Bassey, the Chairman of the Committee in his courtesy remark urged Olubadan to use his influence to help in whatever way he could to assist in addressing some of their challenges described as numerous. “We have a lot of challenges which we won’t bore you with, but, we can’t but mention that of power supply. Your hospital here, the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan is groaning under a heavy burden of electricity bill.
“We would appreciate it, if Your Majesty’s could help reach out to the state government in a way to come to our aid. This is just one out of our various challenges which we are brainstorming over at our meeting. On behalf of our Committee, I thank Your Majesty for making time out to receive us as our meeting would not complete without this visit”, the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital CMD added.
