The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has urged President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately rescind the directive to suspend the Residency Training Programme (RTP) of doctors.

Secretary General of the CNPP Chief Will Ezugwu said yesterday in Abuja that it is outrageous that while Nigerians were waiting for the peaceful resolution of the Nigeria Medical Association’s (NMA) strike, the Federal Ministry of Health on the orders of President Jonathan opted to use the sledgehammer to worsen public health condition in Nigeria.

“We are calling on the Jonathan administration to rescind this obnoxious move; first in view of the fact that Resident Doctors are the engine room and the building block of public health globally. Secondly, we could have termed the demands of NMA off-point, but when one considers the pervasive and endemic corruption going on under President Jonathan’s watch, we are disarmed,” the parties said.

“We are at a loss of what appraising purpose the suspension of the crucial training of Resident Doctors and the termination of Resident Training Appointment will achieve,” they said adding “Mr. President must be reminded that lots of avoidable lives had been lost since the strike, as majority of Nigerians lack the means to travel abroad for medical treatment.”