The National Association of Government General and Medical Dental Practitioners (NAGGMDP) in Ekiti has said that the state government was paying lip service to healthcare delivery in the state.
The association made the assertion in a statement jointly signed by Dr Kolawole Adeniyi and Dr Toyese Adeleye, its Chairman and Secretary, respectively.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the statement was the striking doctors’ reaction to the state government’s response to the continued stay-at-home by members of the medical body.
The doctors said they embarked on the strike to save the primary and secondary health care in Ekiti State from total collapse.
“It is not only a moral burden on us, but also a clarion call.
“It is for the sake of the innocent people of Ekiti State, who unfortunately are at the receiving end,” the NAGGMDP said on the four week-old strike.
The association said that it had in October 2019 presented its position paper to the state government but unfortunately nothing came out of it for well over nine months.
“For the avoidance of doubt, at the primary health care level, there are a total of seven doctors working in 131 health centres.
“Government’s claim that it has in its employ over 300 doctors and cumulatively 700 doctors in Ekiti State is an obvious digression from the point.
“The primary and secondary levels of care are suffering an obvious neglect,”the statement added.
The medical personnel therefore appealed to respected Ekiti sons and daughters as well as other stakeholders to intervene to save the sector from total collapse.