Illustrative photo of medical doctors in protest
According to a statement released by Boade Akinola, the spokesperson of the ministry of health, Isaac Adewole, the minister of Health, has directed the chief medical directors (CMDs) and medical director (MDs) of federal government tertiary health institutions to fill the vacancies created by resident doctors who have “abandoned”their training programme.
The directive was contained in a circular signed by Amina Shamaki, permanent secretary, federal ministry of health.
According to Channels Television, the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) had embarked on an indefinite strike on Monday to press home its demands for welfare related issues. Offices were under lock and key, with empty bed spaces seen at different wards at the hospital.
The President of NARD, OAUTH chapter, Dr. Wole Ayegbusi, had said the indefinite industrial action became a last resort for the doctors across Nigeria, following the breakdown of negotiations with the government and stakeholders in the health sector
He said that unpaid salaries, unjustified sack and poor welfare of resident doctors in Federal and State government-owned hospitals formed part of the demands being made by the medics.
The official circular which sacked the resident doctors in government hospitals who embarked on a nationwide strike on Monday, read:
“It has come to the notice of the Management of the Ministry that some Resident Doctors in your establishment have voluntarily withdrawn from the Residency Training Program by refusing to report for training without authorization. Public Service Rule, PSR 030402 (e) is relevant.
“This is in spite of the ongoing negotiations on their demands put forward by the representatives of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) under the auspices of the Nigerian Medical Association.
“In view of this development, you are hereby directed to replace all the Doctors that have withdrawn their services, with others from the pool of applicants for the training programs in the various disciplines in order not to create ominous gap in training with attendant disruption of health care delivery in your facility.
“Meanwhile, the ministry is working with the panel on the review of the Residency Training Program in Nigeria, led by Professor Wole Atoyebi, the Registrar of the National Postgraduate Medical College, to fast-track the development of a comprehensive blueprint for postgraduate training of doctors in the country.
“Please, ensure immediate compliance.”