NMA Still On Strike As Fear Of Ebola Grips Kano

Division appears rife in Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) as chairman of
the Kano state chapter of the body, Dr. Sharafuddeen Mashi has accused the
Federal Government of using NMA National President, Dr. Kayode Obembe to
fuel confusion within the body.

Dr. Mashi who declared in Kano on Friday that Nigerian Doctors are still
on strike accused the Federal Government of stampeding NMA National
President into signing and releasing a communiqué indicating that the
strike has been called off.

This is just as apprehension and panic grips Kano residents over Ebola
outbreak.

Pointblanknews.com reports that thousands of Kano residents were forced to
bath and drink with warm water mixed with salt as part of ways to prevent
the Ebola virus.

Many Kano residents who got phone calls from their relatives from the
South, particularly Lagos were also sighted eating bitter kola Friday
morning.

Ebola declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as
global-threatening disease has no scientifically proven cure for now.

Dr. Mashi who also believed that Federal Government is exploiting the
Ebola situation to play the fast one on Nigerian Doctors over their
demands further stated that, “probably, agents of the Federal Government
have been threatening the life of Dr. Kayode. From what we gathered, he
was made to sign a press release calling off the strike under duress.â€

“As I am speaking to you now, all NMA state chapters, including the
Federal Capital, Territory; other members of NMA National Executives; and
affiliate bodies have insisted that the strike continues because the
Federal Government is yet to meet our demands. We are yet to reach an
agreement with them.

“What happened was that as we were meeting, surprisingly, we started
reading sponsored stories from online media and social media that the
strike has been called off. We are also aware that foot soldiers of the
Federal Government stampeded Dr. Kayode Obembe, boxed him to a corner and
made him to dance to their tune under threat and duress. So, I can
authoritatively tell you that Nigerian Doctors are still on strike.â€

Mashi noted that there was no wide consultation on the part of Dr. Kayode,
“before he unilaterally took the decision in favour of the Government.
So, all we are saying is for the Federal Government to play their own
part, because we all are aware that it is not a difficult thing.â€

Still on the Ebola case, Dr. Mashi revealed that the NMA had agreed that
its members from Lagos should render voluntary services for the Ebola
victims on the conditions of providing adequate Personal Protective
Equipment PPE and assurance of life insurance for the Doctors and Nurses.


Pointblanknews.com reports that despite the communique issued by Dr.
Obembe in respect to the suspension of six weeks old strike over the
spread of Ebola virus, all the striking doctors in Kano defied the order
to resume work as at Friday.  The situation dashed the hopes of patients
in some of the public hospitals visited in Kano metropolis.

However, there has not been any official or rumoured record of Ebola
outbreak in the ancient city of Kano as at the time of filling this
report.