The Ekiti State chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association on Friday opened a free medical camp, where protesters against fuel subsidy removal could receive treatment.

Chairman of the NMA in the state, Dr. Kolawole Ogundipe, said the association set up the camp to enable anti-subsidy removal protesters receive treatment.

Other residents, who were not part of the protest, used the opportunity to enjoy free medical treatment at the camp opened in front of Mr. Biggs around Fajuyi Park.

Ogundipe said although medical workers were daily participating in the ongoing protest hospitals were open and workers were attending to patients.

He said, “Let me make this clear to our people. We are not on strike, doctors are in the hospitals attending to patients. We are here participating in the protest, we have been participating in the protest since Monday and we will continue until the government reverts to N65 per litre.

“We have opened a medical camp here. We are offering free medical services to our people, especially those who are tired due to the long protest. We will keep fighting in this struggle until the government reverts to N65 per litre of petrol.”

Nurses, pharmacists and other medical workers had on Thursday made snacks at the protest ground and distributed same to protesters to keep them going.

Members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, teachers, students, artisans, civil servants and okada riders were part of the protest, which drew a large crowd.

The state Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Mrs. Bade Gboyega, during the protest rally at Ijigbo, said nurses in the state were embarking on skeletal services at the University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti and other government hospitals across the state.

She, however, pointed out that offering skeletal services despite the strike was in the best interest of the people and not an indication that they didn’t support the strike.

Gboyega said the measure was to enable the people to have access to medical treatment in case of any emergency and to prevent loss of lives.

http://www.punchng.com/news/nma-opens-free-medical-camp-for-protesters-in-ekiti/