The Kwara State branch of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) yesterday called on eminent Nigerians to prevail on the federal government to reverse its earlier decision sacking the striking doctors in order to save the nation's health sector from collapse.

The NMA in a communique issued in Ilorin yesterday, which was signed by its state Chairman. Dr. Abubakar Ayinla, and the state Secretary, Dr. Dele Tajudeen, at the end of the emergency meeting, said the suspension of doctors was not the best option.

The communique urged the federal government to go back to the roundtable with a view of reaching an acceptable agreement to all parties and end the strike.

It condemned the decision of the federal government to terminate the appointment of about 16,000 resident doctors in the country, adding: "The action is retrogressive which had put the already deplorable health system in an irreversible peril, an action comparable to the dark days of military." The group condemned what it described as threat by the federal government to other categories of health workers.

The state NMA directed all its members to abide with the directive of the national body on the ongoing strike and reject collecting sack letters from the government.

It therefore called for immediate withdrawal of undemocratic circulars to health institutions regarding the strike.

The medical association commenced strike on July 1 over non-implementation of some allowances.

In Cross River State, the association described the sack of 16,000 resident doctors in the federal government-owned hospital as the closure of all federal medical institutions in the country.

The NMA in the state said the sacking of the resident doctors by implication was the consequential sack of about 64,000 of its members.

The Chairman of the NMA in the state, Dr. Calistus Enyuma, a Consultant Paediatrician, who raised the alarm at a conference in Calabar yesterday said: "As it stands the federal government suspended the training of resident doctors that means the government has closed down teaching hospital, close down medical schools, and the implication is that you have sacked over 64,000 doctors throughout Nigeria.

"It happened during (Muhammadu) Burari regime in 1984 and we have brain drain and you would guest what will happen in the next few months."

On the current strike embarked on by the NMA, he said: "Our appeal to the federal government is to negotiate with the NMA to bring sanity to the health sector." He also commented on the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) saying,

"Ebola virus is a surprise to many Nigerians and it also came at a time when there is a crisis in the health sector.

"So, having heard of the impending Dum, we decided to champion the awareness campaign prevention of the diseases. We prepared a document which is called Emergency Preparedness against Ebola Virus (EPAEV) and we have set up a committee called Ebola Control Committee (ECC) in collaboration with the Cross River State Government and the management of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital on how to prevent Ebola and how to contain the scourge."

He stated that the NMA had commenced massive mobilisation of its members and members of the public in the state.

"This Ebola stakeholders lecture is to create public awareness on what Ebola is all about and sensitise the health workers and the various stakeholders of what the diseases is all about and to prevent it. Also this committee is to sensitise the people on cultural practices through the churches, Mosque, motor parks, and markets leaders.

"That is why we invited the press, the imams, church leaders, the state government, health workers Obong of Calabar, Ndidem of the Quas, etc. The only treatment of Ebola is prevention, the only cure of Ebola is prevention and nothing else," the NMA Chairman said.