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Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe
Gombe State Government has described the indefinite strike embarked by the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Monday afternoon as an act of irresponsibility and a move influenced by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Commissioner of Health, Ahmed Gana, who addressing a press conference over the doctors action, said the doctors had been dragged into politics and forced to leave their duty post in spite of the lingering global health challenges.
He said the strike came at a time when the world is battling the corona virus (COVID-19) and also when the state is trying to contain outbreaks of Lassa fever among other highly infectious diseases.
But in a swift reaction to the State Government’s allegation, President of the Gombe State Chapter of the ARD, Saidu A. B Alhassan, said their action came after the members had exhausted eleven weeks trying to amicably resolve the lingering poor working conditions of the members and many other demands.
“They should look at our demands and see if they are facts or lies. This mentality in Nigeria needs to stop; if somebody is not doing the right thing and somebody is telling him to do it right, it should not be viewed as act of opposition. Criticism are to make us better and strong, our demands has nothing to do with opposition, we (are) resident doctors and we (are) ready to support any government in our state.
The health commissioner at the press briefing said that the strike was certainly against the moral and ethics of medical practice and demonstrated the level of insensitivity of the association to the plight of the public.
Dr. Gana said, “it is important to note that most of these doctors were sponsored throughout their medical training by the state government and have continued to enjoy several other privileges which other civil servants in the state do not enjoy”.
