Imo: Private Practitioners To Join Doctors’ Strike Over Tax Payment

The chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Imo State, Dr Chidiebere Okwara, says doctors at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, and those in private practice will join the ongoing doctors’ strike in the state if the Hope Uzodinma administration fails to address the lingering matters in the state health sector.

Speaking with newsmen in Owerri, Tuesday, Okwara vowed that the strike, which started on 24th November, 2020, would continue until the state government showed commitment to revamp the ailing health facilities in the state.

He listed some of the contentious issues to include nonpayment of salaries of doctors at the state university teaching hospital, Orlu; failure to implement the 2014 consolidated medical salary structure since March 2020, as well as loss of accreditation of courses at the state teaching hospital since 2017.

He also condemned alleged harassment of private medical practitioners through over taxation and levies imposed by state apparatuses, and demanded the immediate payment of the Covid-19 special allowances to doctors who were among the frontline workers during the pandemic.

Meanwhile, the youth leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in Imo State, Hon Greg Okey Nwadike, Tuesday morning, escaped death by the whisker on his way to office when his car collided with a lorry in the state capital, Owerri.

Mr Don Uba, special assistant, media, to the youth leader, told our correspondent that the accident involved his private car and a Mercedes truck 911 along the Port-Harcourt road, Owerri.

He said, “Miraculously, the youth leader managed to drive himself despite the condition of his car and his health to a private hospital within the city, where he is currently responding to treatment. He sustained severe injuries on his head, chest, shoulder and hands.”