The National Association of Resident doctors, NARD, has taken a swipe on some Chief Medical Directors in Federal Hospitals for hastily invoking the “no work, no pay” rule on striking doctors, warning that such measure would totally cripple the health sector.
The group said such action was totally condemnable considering that the CMDs were behind the disharmony, which led to the industrial unrest in the hospitals.
This is also as they cautioned the Federal government through the heads of Federal tertiary Health institutions, FTHIS, to make adequate budgetary provisions for salaries and other emoluments for Nigerian doctors in the coming year, 2017.
The Resident Doctors took this stand at the end of the extra-ordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the association.
The communiqué issued after the meeting was signed by the President, Dr John Ugochukwu Onyebueze, Secretary General, Dr Emmanuel Aneke and Public Relations Officer, Dr Ugoeze Asinobi.
They cautioned that the alleged plan by some heads of Federal Health Institutions to sabotage the decision will be resulted, medical practitioners through out the federation will down tools, as a mark of protest.
NARD also rejected the implementation of the ‘no work, no pay’ policy in its entirety as their members were being punished for ineptitude of the Chief Executives of their centres and some officials of Federal Ministry of Health.
It noted that the Federal Ministry of Health through the Head, Department of Health Services (DHS) has been visiting Federal Teaching Hospitals purportedly on account of verification of the stability of these institutions to finance personnel emoluments, but had been going beyond their terms of reference (TOR) by spreading false information, contrary to existing circulars and Federal Government activities on proper placement of doctors and emoluments.
The association disclosed that the action of DHS has created tension, capable of degenerating into industrial harmony in the health sector. NARD stated that the attempt by DHS at stopping proper placement of doctors “is intentional and geared towards personal gains from the industrial disharmony their actions are generating.”
The association regretted that “despite the injustice perpetrated by the Heads of some FTHIs in Nigeria by failing to implement Federal Government circulars and directives on proper placement of doctors, resulting in industrial disharmony in their institutions, the same Heads have shown double standard by hurriedly implementing the ‘no waork, no pay rule’ on industrial actions, directly resulting from their treacherous behaviours.”
The communiqué read further: “That the Heads of some FTHIs have plans to further perpetrate chaos in the health sector by inadequate budgetary provisions for full emolument of doctors in the 2017 personnel budget.
“The following Heads of FTHIs are responsible for the crises in their institutions, thereby sabotaging effects at quality Healthcare delivery in the country: Professor Michael Okoeguale (CMD UBTH), Professor Aaron Ojule (CMD, upth Port Harcourt, Professor Etete Peters (CMD UUTH Uyo), Professor Sylvanus Okegbenin (CMD ISTH Irrua), Professor A.W.O. Olatinwo (CMD UITH Ilorin) and Dr Sunday Olotu (MD FNPH Uselu, Benin City).
“Others are Dr Victor Azubuike Osiatuma (Ag. MD, FMC, Asaba), Dr. Liasu Adeagbo Ahmed (Ag. MD.FMC Lokoja), Dr Chukwu Abali (MD, FMC Umuahia), Professor Lawal Khalid (CMD, ABUTH Zaria) and Professor Chris Bode (CMD LUTH).
NARD equally frowned at the continued delay in release of the template on corrected House officers entry point despite agreements reached with top government officials, including the Honourable Speaker, Federal House of Representatives.
The communiqué continued: “All doctors should be properly placed and paid full salaries with lateral conversion for grade level and staff.
“The visits of DHS to teaching hospitals should henceforth be limited to their Terms of Reference (TOR) viz verification only and all misinformation and intimidation of Chief Executives of FTHIs should stop with immediate effect.
“Any attempt to truncate emoluments of our members will be stoutly resisted and lead to immediate total breakdown of cordial industrial relations.”
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