Nigerian government can't prohibit specialists from private practice – NMA

The Nigerian Medical Association has kicked against a recent order by the Nigerian government, banning private doctors from practising in government facilities.

The association has also threatened to go on holiday, leaving public hospitals to be run by paramedics if they were being equated with them.

At a press conference in Ilorin to mark the 2017 Physicians’ ‎week, NMA president Mike Ogirima asked the federal government to come out clear and define what it meant by working hours because according to it, doctors in public hospitals were already working more that the 40 unites required by law.

“The attempt to stop private practice by doctors working in public health institution is against the law of the land. NMA frowns at our members who use the working hours to attend to their private clinics/hospitals. Government should enforce the law by reconstituting the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria MDCN.

“Government must not dissolve the MDCN without immediate reconstruction, we want it in perpetuity. NMA will work in tandem with the government to discipline erring members subjecting them to MDCN’s disciplinary tribunal which has since being in limbo because of lack of MDCN,” he said

“By law, doctors are supposed to work for only 40 units, we have doctors working for up to 80 units; If you want me to work more that 40 units, pay me for more than 40 units. So if you want to enforce it, maybe we should start from there,” Ogirima said .