National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD), South-South Caucus, at the weekend bemoaned the chronic manpower shortage and the alleged refusal of the management of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Benin City, to employ resident doctors in the institution.

 

This was contained in a communiqué issued by its leader, Dr. Emmanuel Osagiede, and his deputy, Dr. Godae Donbaridam, at the end of its meeting at the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port-Harcourt,  and made available to newsmen in Benin City.

 

“We reviewed the state of chronic manpower shortage and the refusal of the management of Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Benin City, to employ resident doctors in the institution,” they said. The duo in the communiqué said the caucus reviewed the painful state of resident doctors in Nigeria especially those in the state employment and found out that they have not been properly taken care of.

They said the worse hit was the Abia State University Teaching Hospital where the resident doctors were being owed 14 months salaries. They said also that while Abia resident doctors were battling with salary arrears, those in Rivers and Delta states were faced with stagnation, poor remuneration and improper placement.

 

“We also reviewed the condition of service of Resident Doctors in Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port-Harcourt, Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH), Okolobiri, and Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara.

 

“It is pathetic to note that Resident Doctors in Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port-Harcourt have remained stagnated for eight years without promotion and proper placement.

 

“On the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH), Okolobiri, it was observed that there is protracted shortage of manpower, poor remuneration and improper placement of our Resident Doctors while Delta State University Teaching Hospital, Oghara, was bedeviled with poor sponsorship of Residency Training.

 

“Generally, all the state owned teaching hospitals in South-South are yet to domesticate Medical Residency Training  Act which has been signed into law since 2018,” they said.

 

They called on Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, Abia State governor, to pay up the salary arrears of the doctors while Rivers and the Delta State governors should domesticate the Medical Residency Training Act and make funds available for their training.

 

They also called on the board and management of Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Benin, to immediately employ resident doctors to enhance smooth service delivery while the governors of Rivers and Balyesa states should ensure promotion and proper placement of members in their respective states.