The Lagos State Branch of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) on Thursday issued a stern warning to the Federal Government and the management of Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) against neglecting doctors’ welfare or intimidating members participating in the ongoing nationwide strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
Speaking to journalists in Lagos, the Chairman of NMA Lagos, Dr. Saheed Babajide, emphasised that any attempt by government officials or hospital authorities to threaten or harass striking doctors would be met with firm resistance. He further warned that the Association would not hesitate to publicly name anyone involved in such harassment.
“The NMA Lagos State Branch fully supports the legitimate industrial action declared by NARD following the expiration of its thirty-day ultimatum to the Federal Government,” Babajide said.
He criticised the government for refusing to meet NARD’s nineteen-point demands and highlighted that the Minister of Health and Social Welfare had failed to engage the NARD leadership within the stipulated period, describing it as “a clear act of negligence.”
Babajide urged the Federal Government to immediately meet all NARD demands to prevent a total collapse of tertiary health care and to restore public confidence in the nation’s public hospitals.
The NMA Lagos chairman also condemned LUTH’s decision to stop providing call duty meals for doctors, labelling the move as “an unacceptable and unconscionable decision” by the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, Professor Wasiu Adeyemo.
According to him, during a courtesy visit to the CMD’s office in February, hospital leadership proposed replacing free call meals with a canteen offering food at subsidised rates. The NMA Lagos Congress, he noted, rejected the suggestion, insisting that call duty meals are a statutory welfare entitlement, not a privilege.
“It is shocking that a federal tertiary hospital that charges patients fees comparable to or even higher than some private hospitals would claim it lacks funds to feed doctors who stay overnight saving lives,” Babajide said. “Such conduct is a dereliction of leadership and a betrayal of professional ethics.”
He directed that the LUTH CMD must immediately comply with the NMA Lagos directive to provide free call duty meals for doctors on duty, warning that anything less would be unacceptable.
The Association also demanded the urgent reconstitution of Boards of Management for federal tertiary hospitals, which have remained dissolved for over two years. NMA Lagos explained that the absence of these boards had created a vacuum, leading to unchecked excesses, abuse of power, and policy arbitrariness by some Chief Executives.
Babajide further called for the immediate adoption of a single, non-renewable five-year tenure for all hospital Chief Executives, noting that the current system of indefinite extensions encourages abuse of office, stagnation, and victimisation of staff.
“A single five-year tenure will promote accountability, fairness, innovation, and transparency in hospital governance. It will prevent the personalisation of leadership positions and encourage performance-driven management,” he said.
The NMA Lagos also instructed all its affiliate bodies to remain alert and ready to take unified action if the Federal Government, Ministry of Health, or LUTH management fails to address these welfare concerns.
“All heads of affiliate bodies under NMA Lagos State are hereby directed to remain mobilized, vigilant, and ready for unified action should federal government, federal ministry of health and social welfare or LUTH management fail to address these legitimate welfare demands,” Babajide stated.
Doctors on call duty at LUTH, he added, are free to obtain meals wherever they deem fit if hospital management fails to provide them. Any attempt to obstruct them will attract immediate disciplinary action and blacklisting by the Association.
The NMA further held the LUTH CMD responsible for any adverse incident that may occur while doctors are forced to leave their duty posts to search for meals during call hours.
Babajide concluded by reaffirming NMA Lagos’ commitment to defending the rights and professional dignity of Nigerian doctors, urging all stakeholders to act with fairness and integrity.
“The health of our citizens and the survival of our profession depends on leadership that values people over personal gain,” he said.
