At an Emergency General Meeting of the Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN), Obafemi awolowo university teaching hospital complex (OAUTHC) Chapter Held on friday 15th august 2014, to consider the government circular (Reference No. C3132/v/46 of 13th August 2014) suspending the residency training program and sacking all resident doctors; the association met and resolved as follows:

 

1) the MDCAN condemns in very strong terms the decision of the federal government to suspend residency training in Nigeria and the subseqeuent termination of the appointment of all resident doctors; supposedly to appraise the challenges facing the health sector.

 

2) We wish to reiterate that resident doctors are full fledged senior members of staff whose appointment cannot be summarily terminated by a presidential fiat.

 

3) This decision by the government to single out the National association of resident doctors (NARD), an affiliate of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), for victimization in a strike action that was called by the NMA is ill advised and in bad faith

 

4) It is surprising that the government would embark on this course of action at such a critical time in Nigeria, and in spite of the commitment of the NMA to participate in care and control of the spread of the Ebola virus, despite he ongoing nationwide strike. This demonstrates government's insensitivity to the health needs of the populace.

 

5) This action will only worsen the crises in the health sector by depriving the teaching hospitals of highly skilled manpower for effective health care delivery.

 

6) The idea that full medical services can be restored with the use of locum appointment to fill the vacuum created by this action demonstrates ignorance and insincerity on the part of government at resolving the problems in the health sector

 

7) We advise government not to politicize the healthcare needs of Nigerians. The government should be seen as a solution to and not compound the problem.

 

8) It is not noteworthy that the problems in the health sector are not caused by Doctors, but rather by poor and conflicting policy decisions and implementation by government that has adversely affected the quality of healthcare delivery, which the NMA is urging the government to correct.

 

We therefore urge the federal government to immediately reverse this undemocratic, antediluvian and retrogressive line of action; and to return to the negotiating table with the nigerian medical association with sincerity, in the interest of the nigerian massess.

 

Finally, the government should know that the resident doctors have our full support

SIGNED: Dr. E. Komolafe (Chairman MDCAN - OAUTHC)