Lagos – The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos
Chapter, has appealed to the Federal Government to
reverse its directive and withdraw its circular sacking
resident doctors in the country.
The Chairman of NMA, Dr Tope Ojo, made the appeal at a
news conference in Lagos on Saturday.
The media recalls that the Minister of Health, Prof.
Onyebuchi Chukwu, had on August 13, issued a directive
terminating the residency training for doctors until further
notice.
Ojo said government should engage the association in
dialogue to provide lasting solution to the problems in the
health sector.
According to him, such sacking the doctors will not yield
positive result and will instead further aggravate the
problems in the sector.
“NMA condemns in totality the alleged presidential
directive via the Federal Ministry of Health suspending
residency training in the country.”
“It could be recalled that such action was taken in 1985
during Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s regime.”
The Lagos State Government also sacked some striking
doctors in Lagos on May 7, 2012.
“These actions had not yielded positive results and can
never stand the test of time.”
“Government should show commitment in resolving the
current impasse with the NMA rather than resorting to
punitive measures that will only further aggravate the
already deplorable situation,” he said.
Ojo said that the current strike would continue and that
the immediate reversal of the sack remained the only
condition to resume talks with government.
He, however, advised the affected doctors against
collecting any sack letter or signing any register opened in
any hospital.
Dr Olusegun Akinwotu, the President, Association of
Resident Doctors, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital,
Yaba, said that such sack would have negative
implications on the sector.
Akinwotu said that it would have huge effect on the
operations of the hospital, as 50 to 70 per cent of the
doctors in government hospitals were resident doctors.
“It will affect medical schools as they will remain shut
because these doctors contribute about 50 per cent to the
training of medical students.”
“All major surgical operations will remain cancelled in all
teaching hospitals because the consultants by default
perform all major surgeries with the assistance of their
resident doctors.”
“It might even escalate the current Ebola scourge because
the majority of the volunteers involved are resident
doctors.”
Dr Babajide Shared, the Secretary of the association, said
the sack of resident doctors would affect patients
negatively.
Shared said that there would be increased list of awaiting
patients, delay in surgery appointments and even delay in
attending to emergency cases.
“The consultants need the resident doctors to effectively
carry out the task of patient care.”
- NAN
Chapter, has appealed to the Federal Government to
reverse its directive and withdraw its circular sacking
resident doctors in the country.
The Chairman of NMA, Dr Tope Ojo, made the appeal at a
news conference in Lagos on Saturday.
The media recalls that the Minister of Health, Prof.
Onyebuchi Chukwu, had on August 13, issued a directive
terminating the residency training for doctors until further
notice.
Ojo said government should engage the association in
dialogue to provide lasting solution to the problems in the
health sector.
According to him, such sacking the doctors will not yield
positive result and will instead further aggravate the
problems in the sector.
“NMA condemns in totality the alleged presidential
directive via the Federal Ministry of Health suspending
residency training in the country.”
“It could be recalled that such action was taken in 1985
during Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s regime.”
The Lagos State Government also sacked some striking
doctors in Lagos on May 7, 2012.
“These actions had not yielded positive results and can
never stand the test of time.”
“Government should show commitment in resolving the
current impasse with the NMA rather than resorting to
punitive measures that will only further aggravate the
already deplorable situation,” he said.
Ojo said that the current strike would continue and that
the immediate reversal of the sack remained the only
condition to resume talks with government.
He, however, advised the affected doctors against
collecting any sack letter or signing any register opened in
any hospital.
Dr Olusegun Akinwotu, the President, Association of
Resident Doctors, Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital,
Yaba, said that such sack would have negative
implications on the sector.
Akinwotu said that it would have huge effect on the
operations of the hospital, as 50 to 70 per cent of the
doctors in government hospitals were resident doctors.
“It will affect medical schools as they will remain shut
because these doctors contribute about 50 per cent to the
training of medical students.”
“All major surgical operations will remain cancelled in all
teaching hospitals because the consultants by default
perform all major surgeries with the assistance of their
resident doctors.”
“It might even escalate the current Ebola scourge because
the majority of the volunteers involved are resident
doctors.”
Dr Babajide Shared, the Secretary of the association, said
the sack of resident doctors would affect patients
negatively.
Shared said that there would be increased list of awaiting
patients, delay in surgery appointments and even delay in
attending to emergency cases.
“The consultants need the resident doctors to effectively
carry out the task of patient care.”
- NAN
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