SACKING OF 16,000 DOCTORS IS ILLEGAL SAYS NARD

Posted on: Fri 15-08-2014

National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD has described the sacking of 16,000 residents doctors in Nigeria as illegal.

In his reaction, the Association, Jubril Abdullahi, told PREMIUM TIMES that the president’s directive is illegal.

He said the decision shows that Mr. Jonathan yielded to the demand of the Joint Health Workers Union, JOHESU.

“The action of Mr. President is illegal because there are several Acts that recognize Residencies in Nigeria and his action speaks volume of the government’s decision to follow the dictates of the Joint Health Workers Union.

This is one of the issues the union is asking for.

“Whatever the government have done in their reaction to the NMA’s strike means they are not ready for dialogue because while we are engaging them, they have resorted to this,” Mr. Abdullahi said, saying members of his association nationwide were about 16,000.

A resident doctor, who spoke on anonymity to avoid persecution, condemned the decision saying he was now officially unemployed.

The doctor, a staff of a teaching hospital, said a colleague of his had just sent him another circular ordering all resident doctors to surrender hospital property in their possession.

The circular, seen by PREMIUM TIMES, said the doctor’s salaries and allowances for one month has been paid in lieu of the notice as they ordinarily are not entitled to any salaries for the period they have been on strike.

“In compliance with this order, I am to regrettably inform you that your appointment in this hospital is hereby terminated forthwith,” the letter issued residents doctors in a teaching hospital in the South South region of Nigeria stated.

The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, of which the resident doctors are members, has been on strike since July 1.

One of the demands of the NMA was that the Federal Government through the Ministry of Health should formalize and implement the report of the inter-agency committee on residency training.

The NMA also asked the FG to release a uniform template on the appointment of resident doctors and a funding framework for residency training established while overseas clinical attachment be fully restored and properly funded.

Resident doctors are doctors being trained to become specialists/ consultants in different fields of medicine.

During their 4 to 5 years training to become consultants, they work in different government hospitals and make up the majority of doctors in teaching hospitals.

“Let’s see how this will work. Except they want to kill the teaching hospitals and the health sector in general,” another resident doctor told PREMIUM TIMES.

He explained that he believed the incessant strike by resident doctors and the NMA was what influenced the government’s decision but doubted that it would be effective.

“In our own teaching hospital, about 90 per cent of the doctors are resident doctors, there are few medical officers. So how can you sack 90 per cent of doctors in a hospital?” he asked rhetorically.

Presidential Directives Suspending Residency Programme in Nigeria

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