Peter Obi Reveals Why Doctors Went on Strike During His Tenire as Governor
The Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has explained the circumstances surrounding the prolonged industrial dispute between his administration and medical doctors during his tenure as governor of Anambra State in 2013, saying the strike was a fallout of his efforts to reform the state’s failing health sector.
Obi spoke during a live interview with Nigerian YouTuber, Adeola Fayehun, aired on Monday.
He said although the doctors’ strike lasted for about 13 months, it did not significantly affect healthcare delivery, as alternatives had been put in place to ensure sick residents were attended to.
According to him, the dispute arose from his decision to overhaul moribund health institutions and introduce a new model that involved faith-based organisations in managing and reviving health facilities.
He said, “It’s an issue I don’t want to discuss, our hospitals were not functioning, we tried to fund health facilities, it wasn’t working, there was strike in education too, we tried to fund our secondary schools and primary schools, it wasn’t working, so we decided that we have to have alternatives when I got to Anambra State, there was no single school of nursing that was accredited, no school of midwifery, no school of health technology – all these were not there.
“The hospitals were in bad conditions, same was the schools, we were putting money and we were not seeing the results, even bought ambulances, they disappeared, so I said no, we have to have an alternative. So we returned schools to the churches, the original owners, and say ‘we will fund you and of course, we saw the results, we moved from number 26 to number 1. The same thing happened with the hospitals, we built 10 schools of nursing, midwifery, and health technology but not through government
“For example, in Iyienu being owned by Church of Nigeria, they have the school of nursing, school of midwifery and school of health technology, we funded and resuscitated it and it was accredited, we went to Onitsha, Waterside being owned by the catholic church and Borromeo, their schools of nursing, school of midwifery, we resuscitated it, they were accredited and are functioning now.
“We went to St. Joseph Adazi, their school of nursing, school of midwifery, school of health technology we resuscitated it and it’s working. We went to Our Lady of Lourdes in Ihial, school of nursing, school of midwifery, school of health technology, we resuscitated it and it’s functional.
“We even worked with one of the Church of Nigeria bishops that were very committed in health issues, Bishop Ikeakor, and set up in Amichi Hospital, we built school of nursing, school of midwifery and school of health technology, these are schools that are there.
“So, in doing this, I had issues with the established bodies because they saw it that I was now doing things to the private sector. For me, the result was important and that was the issues
“During my governorship, I had strikes with teachers, doctors, different groups, but it was trying to change them from being what they used to be to what it should be. When you bring change, you will have enemies – all those who live off the old order, he added.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
