Striking Nigerian doctors to embark on nationwide protest over unmet demands by country's leader

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By CHINEDU ASADU
Updated 3:51 PM CDT, August 5, 2023

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Striking Nigerian doctors on Saturday said they will embark on a nationwide protest, accusing the country’s newly elected president of ignoring their demands for better pay, better work conditions and payment of owed earnings.

The protest, scheduled to start on Wednesday, adds to other challenges confronting Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu, who is leading efforts by the West Africa regional bloc of ECOWAS — which he chairs — to restore democracy in Niger after last week’s coup.

The protest became necessary “to press home our demands, which have been largely neglected by our parent ministry and the federal government,” Dr. Innocent Orji, president of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, wrote in an Aug. 5 letter to the country’s ministry of health, a copy of which was made available to The Associated Press.

The resident doctors are graduate trainees providing critical care at public hospitals across Nigeria, which has one of the world’s lowest doctors-to-patients ratio, with two physicians per 10,000 residents, according to the Nigerian Medical Association.


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/nigeria-tinubu-doctors-strike-protest-hospitals-d421472f46562d8c87f781abc2ec6710

[Backseat Driver]

1. I am sorry to hear of Nigerian resident doctors' grievances.

Like a lot of other countries' physicians, you are all likely exhausted by the recent requirements pandemic care inflicted on your services. Residents here in America often gripe of many sleepless days and nights under stressful care requirements as well. Your new President seems to have an awful lot on his plate just now; however, it doesn't seem right that your own ministry of health doesn't have your backs with calming your concerns or improving your working conditions in such a moment.

Meanwhile, the patients you strike out against will suffer alongside their families with equally compelling inflation worries and how they too will continue to pay their bills. On them, be merciful. I guess this will be the first of many true tests of your commitment and fortitude as modern healers.

In a way, healing a nations' political processes is equally important - I hope you can assist your President in making democratic processes work out better for you and your many patients. Of course, I'm not sure what that exactly means to you or for you. Perhaps there might be local solutions? A philanthropist's urgent grant? Family patient education in the clinics? A reliable grid with reliable service for equipment or a theater? A catnap room? Your nation has resources.

Wars and conflicts raging on for years just beyond your hospital's doorsteps isn't healthy for anyone's wallet or atitudes either. Best set your minds and hearts about selfless kindness and go savagely rogue on systems of healing the diseases of hate and exploitation upon your precious patients. Wishing you peace in holding back the hounds you hear barking. Your continent is counting on you. And you are deserving of your wages and a working environment that needs solutions, if only temporary. Hang on, kitty!

[Backseat Driver]

2. More about regional politics per MSNBC opinion writer here:

https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/niger-president-mohamed-bazoum-coup-biden-administration-us-rcna98046?cid=eml_mda_20230806&user_email=47014418040c61c2dd42977e0fff867abe9eb03918e72c41805f57ad109eb768

There's a reason the White House hasn't called the coup in Niger a coup
Mohamed Bazoum, Niger's deposed president, says if his enemies succeed, there will be "devastating consequences for our country, our region and the entire world.”

Aug. 5, 2023, 6:00 AM EDT
By Daniel R. DePetris, fellow at Defense Priorities

Our eyes don’t lie: The military in Niger, or at least a faction within it, has ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, confined him in his home, suspended Niger’s Constitution and is in the early stages of gutting the country’s infant democracy. Bazoum was the first elected head of state since the West African country declared independence from France in 1960. Yet the Biden administration remains allergic to calling the coup a coup. (snip) Read the rest...

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How this impacts the labor grievances of hospital resident physicians in Nigeria is still unclear...unless unrest and violence might be spreading where hospital workers would be especially necessary to treat the injured? - perhaps Nigeria needs to make good on better working conditions, hospital security, and past-due wages of these physicians??? Yes.

[Backseat Driver]

3. More, in general:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_education_in_Nigeria#Challenges

(snip) "Resident doctors are poorly remunerated, overworked, have no clear job descriptions, and train in very hostile work environments. Some have expressed doubt that the postgraduate colleges' curricula are in sync with global best practices, while the opportunity for additional exposure abroad is no more accessible. There is also poor monitoring and evaluation of training programmes, and currently, no formal training programme in medical education is available in Nigeria.[5] (snip)

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SMH