Nigeria’s Labour Minister, Dr Chris Ngige has urged that doctors currently engaging in strike action should conduct themselves with humility. The minister warned that the present strike is one of the biggest threats to the profession he has ever seen, and warned of dangers ahead.
The Minister disclosed this at the 2nd Summit of Medical Elders Forum (MEF) on Thursday, in Abuja, organized by the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN), themed: “Medical Profession: a Look into the Past, Present and Future.”
What the Minister said
Ngige said, “At no time in the history of NMA and the medical association, was I seeing our association and our profession ever being in danger, as I am seeing them now.
“Many people will not see it, but from where I am sitting and standing, I can see danger ahead.
“We are one of the oldest professions on earth, metamorphosing from natural and traditional healers to take away pain from people and consequentially save lives.
“We don’t create lives, God creates, we only preserve people’s lives through the act of God. In doing so, God has given us some powers and those powers are near his own to create.
“But, there is something God does not want, God does not want when he gives you powers you use it to try to say that you are like him or you are competing with him.
“God loves you to do that which he has asked you to do; to use that power with humility.”
Ngige urged the doctors to ask themselves questions and reflect more on the reason behind the strike.
“We must start by telling ourselves the truth. You say they dislike doctors, what did you do for them to dislike you?
“Yes, there is peer envy; yes, some wanted to study medicine and they couldn’t; we know it and if you know it, you carry yourself with dignity and humility,” he said.
What you should know
Nigerian Resident Doctors embarked on a strike earlier this month, President of the National Association of Residents Doctors (NARD), Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi refuted the claim of the Minister of Health that the issues leading to the strike by the medical doctors are state issues and not Federal Government issues.
In matters of modeling behaviours, it is much more impactful if people who find themselves in positions of authority take the lead. People will naturally follow. Well, I guess in my dear Country, it’s do as I say, not as I do. Sad.