Crisis is brewing again within the Edo State health sector as the state government has threatened that any doctor in her employment who fails to report to work by 8am today will be given a "summary dismissal," just as it strongly condemned the ongoing strike action embarked upon by members of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).

Following the recent abduction of a former Chief Medical Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, (UBTH), Eugene Okpere, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) had directed all members of the union to stay away from work until security condition in the state improves. Mr. Okpere had since been released, but several doctors in the state have been abducted lately and many were only released after payments were made.

The state government, in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Pally Iriase, said "from reports collated so far, many innocent persons have died as a result of the strike/industrial action. Edo State government can no longer condone this inhuman, unethical and irresponsible action.

"Government notes that the reason advanced by the striking doctors is that they are protesting the insecurity engendered by the criminal activities of kidnappers, but government on the contrary also notes the inhumanity of the frequent recourse to strike action at the flimsiest of excuses by doctors whose duty it is to save lives. The excuse of the doctors for embarking on the latest strike action is untenable and un-acceptable, as the state of insecurity pervades the whole nation as it is not limited to Edo State only and the criminal actions of the kidnappers affect all strata of the society." Mr. Iriase said despite the fact that matters of security are under the purview of the federal government,the state government has done all within its powers to assist security agencies in the state with operational vehicles,communication gadgets and allowances.

"The Government especially notes the irresponsibility of doctors in the employ of the state government,paid with tax-payers' money, who find it convenient to shut down public health facilities under the guise of strike action. Clearly, this is a ruse for them to create time for their private practice in their clinics while also drawing their full pay at the end of the month," the SSG said.

Doctors Want Apology

Chairman of Edo State chapter of Nigerian Medical Association, Phillip Gbodagha described the threat as "provocative." "No doctor was summarily employed by the state government, so there is no doctor that can be summarily dismissed by Edo state government," Mr Gbodagha said.

He said the doctors would remain on strike until the leadership of the association meet and he called for the overhaul of security operatives in the state and the deployment of military personnel to the state as done in Abia state. The NMA, in a statement signed by Stanley Ehiaremwan and Bruce Ossai, said the partial strike was to press for improvement in the security situation in the state.

"In compliance with the NMA Edo State branch directive, doctors in the Hospital Management Board have been going to work on daily basis, taking calls,attending to in-patients, emergencies and surgeries," the organisation said. "For the Edo state government to have,among other things, describe doctors in her employment as irresponsible, in-human and un-ethical because of compliance of a directive of their parent body is to say the least undeserved and negate the spirit of freedom of association.

"We take exception to the use of unpalatable language, and therefore demand an unreserved apology from the Edo State government." The doctors vowed to maintain their stand until further directive from the NMA.