The Chief Medical Director of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, Dr. Majekodunmi Ayodele, has called on the Federal Government to sponsor a bill that will criminalise strike action by medical workers.

Speaking on a nationwide strike embarked on by doctors under the aegis of the Association of Resident Doctors, Ayodele lamented that the strike was crippling the health sector in the country.

The doctors are presently on strike to press for the full implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Scale and commencement of payment of the Consolidated Health Salary Scale 2 to members, as directed by the Federal Government.

Ayodele, however, appealed to doctors in the Federal Teaching Hospital to show understanding, saying “the templates for the implementation of CONMESS and payment for skipping CONHESS 2 have not been released by the Federal Government, let alone releasing money for their payments.

“The Federal Government must start a process of restructuring the health sector. It seems as if the medical officers, including doctors, nurses and others are addicted to strike and this is killing the system.

“In 2014, doctors went on strike for over four months while JOHESU was on strike for about six months. Out of about 360 working days, hardly did they come to work for their legitimate duties for 120 days.

“We cannot afford to abandon our responsibilities because we offer essential services,” he said.

Ayodele, who said he had no plan to enforce the ‘no-work-no-pay’ rule, assured the workers that all their entitlements and arrears would be paid.

“How do you realise money to pay for residency training when workers are not working to make money? You can’t be embarking on strike at the slightest opportunity and be expecting sponsorship for training from the hospital because they are not being paid for by Federal Government.

“Let me also add that this rumour going round that the funding for CONHESS 2 and CONMESS had been factored into the 2015 Budget is not true. It is saddening that we are losing lives here on daily basis and we plead with our colleagues to resume work. They must show understanding and patriotism,” he said.