Lagos State medical doctors under the aegis of the Nigerian Medical Association, begin an indefinite strike today over what it describes as police harassment.
In a statement made available to newsmen this afternoon, the group said they could no longer condone the harassment meted out by the police as they commute to their places of work.
The statement signed by the Association’s Chairman, Dr Saliu Oseni and Secretary, Dr Ramon Moronkola states the strike order commences by 6:00 pm today, 20th May 2020.
According to them, President Mohammadu Buhari and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu were clear in their directives regarding essential workers. While Buhari and Sanwo-Olu permitted health workers to commute to attend to the sick, the Police Commissioner, Hakeem Odumosu gave a counter directive that Doctors, Health Workers and other essential service workers are not exempted.
Part of the statement read that:
“There was a most disturbing case of an ambulance conveying an injured patient which was prevented from moving to the destination while the attending health-workers were harassed and temporarily detained.
“You will recall that this same ugly situation had occurred sometime in the early phase of the ongoing lockdown/restriction of movement based on similar conflicting directives from the State Commissioner of Police. It took the intervention of the Governor of the State, following a petition by the Association, for normalcy to be restored.”
The medical doctors insist that in order for them to resume work, a directive clearly stating the terms of essential services must be signed by the government and appropriate police authorities.
The directive must also be punished in the main stream media and relevant social media handles. Until such action is taken, the medical doctors begin the strike today.
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