AYV News October 30, 2024
The Sierra Leone Medical and Dental Association has in a letter written to the Minister of Health, clarifying its position on the extension of its 21-Day strike action.
The Doctors expressed their displeasure over what they referred to as an act by the Minister of Health, accusing them of threatening to discharge or refuse to admit patients.
Dr. Peter Mac-Jajua, Secretary General of the Sierra Leone Medical and Dental Association said: “I wish to clarify that it is a customary practice globally for health workers to caution health facilities on the admission and discharge of patients before any intended industrial action to prevent situations where health facilities are overwhelmed during the period of strike action. Our membership would also wish to have an engagement with the leadership of MOH at a later date, hopefully after resolving this issue of our fuel allocation to discuss some of the provisions of our country’s Civil Service Code and Employment Act that are relevant to the provisions of our services”.
He brought to the attention of the minister the intimidations and numerous threats issued by some members of the leadership of MOH, adding that such threats include arrests of members of our executive, and seizing their medical licenses.
“Our membership views such actions as very unfortunate and is resolved not to countenance them. I humbly implore you to use your kind office in admonishing the leadership of MOH to desist from such actions and focus on resolving the issue of our fuel allocation. Our membership is also appalled by insinuations by some members of the leadership of MOH that the current position of our membership regarding the issue of our fuel allocation is politically motivated.
“I respectfully wish to iterate that one of our association’s blueprints is its philosophy of championing courses that are always and entirely devoid of any political motivation and the current issue is no exception. In conclusion sir, I wish to draw your attention to the fact that all previous negotiations between our membership and government authorities involving ultimatums, strike actions or planned strike actions have ended with official commitments in the form of signed documents prepared by the relevant authorities detailing all verbal commitments made at the conclusion of such negotiations”. Dr. Mac-Jajua said.
He went on that these official commitments have always been the basis on which ultimatums, strike actions, or intended strike actions are suspended or called off, adding that this is all our membership is demanding at this point.
He informed the minister that at a general membership meeting of their Association, it was resolved that the Ministry of Health should provide a signed document containing all the promises and commitments made during the meeting held at the Office of the Vice President on 22nd October, 2024; the document should be made available to SLMDA on or before Friday 1st November, 2024 which marks the end of the seven-day extension of the ultimatum given by our membership; and that the membership will proceed with a nationwide sit-down strike action if this document is not made available to the membership by the end of the seven working days extension of its issued ultimatum on Friday 1st November, 2024.
“I assure you of our Association’s continued commitment to resolving and finding a lasting solution to this issue. We want to assure you of our Association’s commitment towards the process of establishing this committee, and as earlier agreed and requested in your letter we will submit the name of our Association’s representative in that committee within the next forty-eight hours and we look forward to ensuring that the objectives of that committee are achieved”. Dr. Peter Mac-Jajua stated.
He went sayinhg; “Our attention is however particularly drawn with grave concern to some of the contents of your response which on behalf of our membership I respectfully wish to address in this letter. It is stated in your response that two key agreements were reached during the meeting held at the Honorable Vice President’s Office on the 22nd of October, 2024, one of which is for the Ministry of Health to ensure that payments for fuel allocations for the first and second quarters of 2024 for eligible SLMDA members are effected and that the Ministry of Health will work with the Ministry of Finance to expedite the payment of fuel allowances for the third and fourth quarter of 2024”.
Respectfully, he went on; “full payments for the first and second quarter fuel allocations for 2024 have been effected. Our Association confirmed this on September 26th, 2024, after receiving a memo from MOH to that effect. Most of the eligible doctors have so far received their fuel allocations for the first and second quarters of 2024. Therefore, there cannot be a resolution to effect payment for the first and second quarter at a meeting held on the 22nd of October, 2024, over a month after such payments had actually been effected.
“Also of note sir, is that doctors are not paid fuel allowances, contrary to what is stated a couple of times in your letter. Our members receive their fuel allocations through a fuel card system. Our membership had requested in 2022 for fuel allocations to be provided as monthly fuel allowances included in our salaries, but the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance at the time declined that request, and it was agreed that moving forward fuel allocations would be received by our members through a card system.
“During earlier engagements between the leadership of MOH and our executive in September this year, the possibility of receiving our fuel allocations in the form of fuel allowances was discussed, but the leadership of MOH cautioned us that payment of fuel allowances with our salaries would attract a tax of 40%. Our membership declined to this and it was agreed by both our membership and MOH that we continue with quarterly allocation of our fuel through the card system with improvement in the current process”.
