The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) on Wednesday appealed to the Joint Health Workers Union (JOHESU) to call off its strike in the interest of the masses.

Dr Kayode Obembe, the National President of the association, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

He said that each time there was strike it was the poor Nigerian masses that suffer. Obembe, however, urged the government to listen to the health workers’ demands and take positive actions.

He said that although the government could not attend to all demands, but that the issue of JOHESU should not be neglected. The president noted that the care of patients was paramount to the medical orientation.

``Doctors must have interest of their patients at heart when asking for any benefit from the government.

``Doctors are not on strike but the health workers' strike had affected the service delivery in hospitals.

``Basic functions in hospital practice are being attended to by the doctors, but the quantum of the services is grossly affected,’’ he said.

The president added that available manpower was low as doctors hardly attend to 60 patients daily.

He said that chief medical directors and medical consultants have complied with the instruction of NMA to keep the services going.

NAN reports that JOHESU is the umbrella body for the joint health workers union, including record officers, hospital technicians, porters and cleaners in the hospitals.

The union is demanding for immediate issuance of a circular on adjustment of its members’ salaries and full payment of arrears of CONHESS 10 salaries. (NAN)

AM/AIB/MST