Tag: doctors

  • Lagos hospital trains doctors, nurses in endoscopy use, service delivery

    Lagos hospital trains doctors, nurses in endoscopy use, service delivery

    The Amuwo Odofin Maternal and Child Centre in Lagos State, says it has begun to train its doctors and nurses to build their capacity for effective delivery of endoscopy services.

    The Medical Director of AOMCC, Dr. Taiwo Adeiyi, in during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, said endoscopy services in the facility would begin this year.

    NAN reports that endoscopy is a test where a long thin tube with a small camera is inserted and used to look inside the body.

    The tube is passed through a natural opening such as the mouth, anus and vagina, to check organs including the stomach, womb cervix and small intestine.

    According to Dr. Adeiyi, endoscopy services will be beneficial to gynaecology patients.

    He said, “The world is moving toward laparoscopy or what is called minimal access surgery – a surgery you can do without cutting open the body, just a small incision is made and you gain access into the vital organs to carry out the surgery.”

    The Medical Director also said that apart from the training of medical personnel, the hospital had acquired the equipment to begin endoscopy service delivery before the end of the year.

    Dr. Adeiyi said the hospital also planned to expand its paediatric outpatient clinic to create more consulting rooms for doctors to attend to patients.

    He, however, urged individuals and corporate organisations within the Amuwo Odofin community to partner with the hospital to help overcome some of its challenges.

    (NAN)

    Image Source: Digestive Health Centers

     

  • Nasarawa doctors issue 21-day ultimatum, threaten strike

    Nasarawa doctors issue 21-day ultimatum, threaten strike

    Collins Sunday

    The Nigeria Medical Association, Nasarawa State Chapter, has issued a 21-day strike ultimatum to the state government over the poor welfare packages of doctors across the 13 local government areas of the state.

    Speaking during a press briefing in Lafia on Tuesday, NMA state chairman, Dr. Peter Attah, said the failure of the state government to meet the doctors’ demands within the stipulated time would spur the association to embark on industrial action.

    He said the challenges being faced by members of the association include the non-implementation of promotion for doctors and annual salary increments; the non-implementation of the minimum wage and consequential adjustments; the non-implementation of the reviewed hazard allowance and the accrued 17 months arrears; inadequate manpower and overwork of doctors; a high burden of taxation on doctors, and medical residency training fund payment.

    He said, “The challenges we are facing are enormous. We just decided to come up with these ones for now and we hope that the state government will look into the matter from today, June 13, till July 3, 2023, when we will be embarking on an industrial action if our demands are not met by the state government.

    “We are not demanding these things just for ourselves; we also want our patients to enjoy good healthcare services because there is a lot of equipment that we are yet to have. We still refer many of our patients to the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and the services could have been provided here.

    “The Nasarawa State NMA is looking at the possibility, where each of our general hospitals would have a minimum of four doctors, depending on the locations of the hospitals.”

    Dr. Attah further lamented that no fewer than 27 medical doctors had left the state since January 2023, due to the poor condition of service, and urged Governor Abdullahi Sule, to hastily address the issues raised by the association in order to tackle brain drain in the health sector.

    “In this year alone, over 27 doctors have left us to seek greener pastures due to poor welfare packages. We cannot continue to lose our doctors, which is why we have decided to embark on this strike if the government fails to meet our demands in 21 days from today.

    “So, we are appealing to Governor Sule to use his good office to settle these issues so that we will continue to serve all residents of the state in our capacities as medical doctors,” he added.

     

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  • Buhari can meet resident doctors demands before handover – Orji, President

    Buhari can meet resident doctors demands before handover – Orji, President

    In this interview with LARA ADEJORO, the President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Dr Emeka Orji, speaks about the strike embarked on by members of the association and other related issues

    Many thought you would shelve your strike as you have been doing since your association started issuing threats for industrial action, why did you proceed on the strike?

    We have been shelving the strike for three years now. The last strike we had was around August and September, 2021 and many of the issues we are talking about now were also raised then. When we notify the government that we are going on strike, they will make promises and after some time, they will not fulfil those promises. That was why our members were no longer happy that even with all the multiple threats and engagements, we have yet to resolve these challenges that affect the health sector, our members and Nigerians, leading to massive brain drain in the health sector.

    Before this warning strike action, did you have engagements with the government so that things didn’t have to get to this?

    We issued ultimatums two times last year because of these issues and nothing was done apart from the fact that, for the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, they set up a committee at the Federal Ministry of Health last year. The committee met twice and of course, we were not there and we requested that whenever the committee was meeting with our parent body – Nigerian Medical Association, we should also be invited to take part in the discussion so that we will observe what they are doing and we will be opportune to make input before the collective bargaining agreement is arrived at. But since then, that committee has not met. Our members feel this is how the current government will hand over to the incoming government without addressing these germane issues. We are the largest medical workforce in the country, and we have been trying to resolve the issues amicably but unfortunately, the government has not addressed them and that made us give the two weeks ultimatum on April 29. It will interest you to know that there was total silence, no engagements, no discussion, not even a call (from the government) and I was wondering what they were expecting. The essence of an ultimatum is to alert the government and Nigerians that there are challenges. What is supposed to happen is that you wade in as a government, try to initiate discussions, solve the ones you can, give timelines for the other ones you cannot solve immediately before the end of the ultimatum so that by the time the association is having its reviews, we will have something to report to our members. But in this case, there was nothing.

    Apart from the increase in CONMESS, what are your other demands?

    The very important one is the inadequate manpower, because our members are overstretched. You have one doctor doing the work of so many doctors because the personnel are no longer there, and the hospitals are completely depleted, both in the emergency departments and the clinics and it is affecting the management of patients. That is why we keep saying that we are doing this for Nigerians because they are seeing what we are saying, except you don’t go to hospitals. If you do, you would have noticed what we are talking about. People spend hours in the hospital. So, inadequate manpower should be addressed, and there is already a guideline agreed upon by a committee set up by the Federal Ministry of Health three months ago. Why has the circular not come out? At least, the Chief Medical Directors will begin to replace doctors and nurses that have left. We also have the issue of inadequate infrastructure and we have always said that you cannot address the infrastructure, personnel, welfare and manpower needs in the health sector without improving the budgetary allocation. There is no shortcut. As long as you do not do it, you are not going to have the needed workforce, and the issues will remain.

     

    What are the other demands?

    We also talk about the obnoxious bill by Honourable Ganiyu Johnson (a member of the House of Representatives) and we want the bill to be withdrawn. There is no point remaining silent on it. We do not want to be taken by surprise, we will just wake up one day and see that the bill has been passed. We want them to withdraw the bill. They have seen the outcry, not just from doctors but from everybody. Right now, the government is condemning the bill, but the parliament should take a step further by totally withdrawing the bill and addressing the root cause of brain drain which is inadequate remuneration and deplorable welfare packages. Once this is done, people will stay and it will reverse the brain drain trend because many people who have gone out, we are in talks with them and it is not as if they are enjoying themselves. The thing is that the working conditions are good, the facilities are there and the pay is far better, but they are still second-class citizens there. They want to come back home, but when they compare what they are being paid there and what is paid here, they will cope with the stress and remain there. So, if you improve the remuneration; you do not necessarily need to pay what is paid there because we know that the economic conditions are not the same, the revenue conditions are not the same, but we know that even with what Nigeria is getting now in form of revenue, they should be able to improve this significantly and that was why we pegged it at 200 per cent increment in CONMESS.

    Some people would think an upward review of your salary by 200 per cent is outrageous, what do you make of that?

    We are scientists and we do not base our discussion on rumours. We have said that for you to take us back to where we were in 2009, our studies have shown that taking into consideration the cost of living in 2009, the fuel price, the inflation rate, the exchange rate, then it has to be increased to a minimum of 270 per cent. So, we are being considerate by bringing it down to 200 per cent. What you do during negotiations is that you present your facts, the government will present theirs and you will discuss. The government can come up with their data showing that they need to increase by a percentage different from ours and when we are convinced, then we will take it back to our members and we will discuss.

     The Federal Government has described your strike as unnecessary and that the NMA is negotiating with the Federal Government on behalf of all medical bodies. Are you aware of this?

    That is the government’s position. Our position is different and we have communicated the position with facts. If you hear that the NMA is negotiating, what we are saying is that the NMA is not negotiating because negotiation has not happened this year, let them prove us wrong. We know that salary increment is a product of collective bargaining. We have our facts. More attention should be paid to the Ministry of Health. These issues have not been addressed by the ministry and it is squarely their responsibility to address them. It is only when they fail that they can now call on the Ministry of Labour and Employment to intervene. The committee on the upward review of CONMESS was set up by the Ministry of Health, yet that committee has not met this year and they have not come up with a CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement). What happened was that the government offered the NMA a certain percentage without a CBA. Even if the NMA has accepted what the government is offering, where is the circular on the upward review of the circular?

    There was a time you appreciated the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, for his interventions during a programme on the television, but you seem not to align with his recent statements regarding your demands. What would you say went wrong?

    Nothing went wrong and that is not strange. We cannot always agree. He has helped us several times in the past. In fact, for many of the issues that would have pushed us to strike, he was able to intervene and resolve them before getting to the stage of a strike. But like I keep saying, we have the Ministry of Health, which is our parent ministry, and we have two ministers there. They should wade in and resolve these issues. It is only when they try and they are not able to resolve them and it is leading to a strike that the Ministry of Labour will be called in and that is why we are also doing this to keep explaining our stand. I believe that by the time we keep talking and Dr Ngige sits down to analyse these issues, he will agree with us.

    What do you make of the statement of him saying that you were feeling entitled regarding your demands?

    What we make out of it is to continue to explain because that statement is possibly coming from the fact that we have not sat down with him to actually explain what is happening. I am sure that if we have that opportunity to explain and have a genuine dialogue, he will understand that it is not about having a feeling of entitlement and that we are raising germane issues affecting the health sector. Even after that statement that was credited to him, he has also come out to address one of the issues which we raised on the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to compel medical and dental graduates to serve for five years to earn a full licence. He has condemned it publicly. You would ask yourself, how come the Ministry of Health has not done the same? That is why we are insisting that the bill should be withdrawn because it will not help the situation, but it will worsen it.

    What happens if the government does not meet your demands after the warning strike?

    What happens next will be dependent on what our members give us directives to execute but we know that all options are on the table. Indefinite strike action is on the table, shutdown of all the health facilities in the country and other government institutions are on the table. And we are still going to raise the alarm that the government should address the situation before it gets to that stage. We are not fighting the government. We are only using the instrument available to us to press home our demands. When the issues are resolved, we will not have time to continue to have industrial disharmony.

    What do you think the incoming president should do differently to avert a strike in the health sector?

    Whatever policy will affect any group of workers should be discussed in the presence of the workers or their representatives, because there may be vital information that we will give to them that they may not know because we are the ones on the ground, we know what is happening. Even with this brain drain, we have always said any solution that the government will bring up should involve us, and it is because we were not involved in that bill that caused that grievous mistake. They should increase the budgetary allocation to health, it will help to improve the infrastructural needs of the hospitals, and they should beam their searchlight and ensure that funds being released are effectively utilised without corruption. They should try to treat their doctors and nurses well. They keep calling us essential service providers but we are not seeing anything that shows that they mean what they say. They should not allow issues to get to workers going on strike before addressing them because usually when that happens, you have a crisis, and the collateral damages are enormous.

    As this government winds down, how would you rate its commitment to the health sector and the welfare of health workers, compared to those before it?

    The rating of this government has not been done by NARD and it is not in my place to talk about that because I have not received any mandate from our members to rate this government in terms of their activities and achievements in the health sector.

    This government is almost out, and some people would say it’s futile to expect it to make any commitment now. Why didn’t you wait for the new government to come in?

    We have a government in place, they should not just wind down before May 29, they should still steer the ship of government before the inauguration. As I said earlier, many of these issues can be resolved in days, and if they commit to it, they can resolve many of the issues. For instance, for the circular, it is just to draft it because the resolution has been reached. It is just to draft it. On the Medical Residency Training Fund, we are aware the list has been submitted, the fund was budgeted for, and all that is needed is for them to give instructions for payment to start. On the 200 per cent minimum review of CONMESS, they should finalise with the committee they set up and the stakeholders, including us, and the circular will come out. We know that one or two things will need some days but you have to start; give timelines and we will continue with the next administration. The incoming government can also wade in because they will soon take over, so they are allowed to wade in. We are willing to discuss with them to find a way out of this even before they take over the government.

     

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  • Strike: Resident doctors sign MoU with FG over demands

    Strike: Resident doctors sign MoU with FG over demands

    Lara Adejoro

    The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Government in an effort to end the ongoing strike.

    NARD commenced a five-day warning strike on May 17 to press home their demands after a 14-day ultimatum.

    The doctors are demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 per cent of the current gross salaries of doctors.

    The doctors also want immediate massive recruitment of clinical staff in the hospitals, and immediate withdrawal of the bill seeking to compel medical and dental graduates to render five-year compulsory services in Nigeria before being granted full licences to practise; among others.

    The doctors on Friday, met with the Senate Committee on Health, the House of Representatives Committee on Health and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, to deliberate on their demands.

    According to NARD, its National Executive Council will decide on the timelines set in the content of the MoU.

    Speaking with our correspondent on Saturday morning, the NARD President, Dr. Emeka Orji said, “We have heard the position of the government, and we have told them the position of NARD and we have discussed. They told us what they can do, and what they cannot do and why they can’t do those things with timelines, and we signed.

    “So we will take back what the government offered to the NEC to accept or reject it and give further directives. Part of the MoU is that NARD will call its NEC in the next 48 hours and brief them on the outcome for them to decide.”

    Meanwhile, the strike, which started on Wednesday, continued on Saturday, with medical services hampered in federal hospitals around the country.

    Most of the medical facilities, since the strike commenced are being manned by consultants, with help from other healthcare personnel.

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  • Strike: Negotiations ongoing with Resident doctors to resolve issues – FG

    Strike: Negotiations ongoing with Resident doctors to resolve issues – FG

    The Federal Government has revealed that negotiations are ongoing with stakeholders over the five-day warning strike embarked upon by members of the National Association of Resident Doctors on Wednesday.

    While fielding questions from newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, the Director, Public Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr.  Morenike Alex-Okoh, said the strike was of concern for the government.

    “The situation with the doctors’ strike is of concern to the government and the negotiations have been ongoing.

    “We will continue under the circumstances, so, I can’t give you any conclusive response now.

    “However, government, the leadership of the ministry and relevant stakeholders are meeting to resolve the situation as quickly as possible,’’ she said.

    NARD served the FG a notice FG on Tuesday, warning that it could not guarantee further industrial harmony should there be a failure to address issues raised before May 29.

    NARD’s letter entitled, “Notice of Strike Action’’ was signed jointly by its National President, Dr. Innocent Orji and Secretary-General, Dr. Chikezie Kelechi.

    They stated that NARD had issued a two-week ultimatum to the FG to resolve issues as contained in the ultimatum before its expiration on May 13.

    The letter read in part, “Regrettably, the issues have remained unresolved despite several attempts by NARD to get the government to resolve them.

    “Rising from her Extra-Ordinary Meeting on Monday, May 15, NARD’s National Executive Council resolved to embark on a five-day warning strike beginning on May 17.’’

    The doctors are demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 per cent of the current gross salaries of doctors.

    NARD is also demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Bill seeking to compel medical and dental graduates to serve compulsorily in Nigeria for five years before getting full licences to practise.

    It also wants immediate domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act and a review of Hazard Allowance by state governments.

    The Reportr Door reports that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, had on Tuesday, relayed the FG’s warning to the association to shelve the strike.

    He issued the warning shortly after receiving a letter of notification from the NARD executive on the planned strike.

    In a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Olajide Oshundun, Ngige said the planned strike was illegal.

    “There is nothing like a warning strike. A strike is a strike. If they want to take that risk, the options are there. They have the right to strike. You can’t deny them that right.

    “Their employer has another right under Section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act, however, to withhold their pay for those five days.

    “If the NARD has strike funds to pay its members for those five days, no problem.

    “The health minister will instruct teaching hospitals to employ ad-hoc people for those five days and use the money of the people who went on strike to pay the ad-hoc doctors,’’ Ngige said.

    He advised the doctors to avail themselves of the opportunity to dialogue with their employers, rather than embarking on a warning strike, which is unknown to the law.

    NARD awaits FG’s call for negotiations

    Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, the President of NARD, Dr. Orji said that members were still awaiting the FG’s call for negotiations.

    “I am still in my hotel room now and I have not received any call to come to the table to discuss the strike.

    “We also heard that the government is planning a no-work-no-pay strategy, but our position is that it should resolve issues raised because that is the only way to avoid escalation.

    “Issuing threats will definitely worsen the problem. If no-work-no-pay is implemented, our members will determine how we will handle it.

    “Going by that route will escalate the problem because it means that government is not ready to address the issues we have raised and will rather give punitive measures.

    “Our members will decide and give us further directives, but no one should blame us if they decide to escalate the strike,’’ he said.

     

    NAN

  • Negotiations ongoing with Resident doctors – FG

    Negotiations ongoing with Resident doctors – FG

    The Federal Government says negotiations are ongoing with stakeholders over the five-day warning strike embarked upon by members of the National Association of Resident Doctors on Wednesday.

    Fielding questions from newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, the Director, Public Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Morenike Alex-Okoh, said the strike was of concern for the government.

    “The situation with the doctors’ strike is of concern to the government and the negotiations have been ongoing.

    “We will continue under the circumstances, so, I cannot give you any conclusive response now.

    “However, government, the leadership of the ministry and relevant stakeholders are meeting to resolve the situation as quickly as possible,’’ she said.

    NARD served notice on the FG on Tuesday warning that it could not guarantee further industrial harmony should government fail to address issues raised before May 29.

    NARD’s letter entitled: “Notice of Strike Action’’ was signed jointly by its National President, Dr Innocent Orji and Secretary-General, Dr Chikezie Kelechi.

    They stated that NARD had issued a two-week ultimatum to the FG to resolve issues as contained in the ultimatum before its expiration on May 13.

    The letter read in part, “Regrettably, the issues have remained unresolved despite several attempts by NARD to get the government to resolve them.

    “Rising from her Extra-Ordinary Meeting on Monday, May 15, NARD’s National Executive Council resolved to embark on a five-day warning strike beginning on May 17.’’

    The doctors are demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 per cent of the current gross salaries of doctors.

    NARD is also demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Bill seeking to compel medical and dental graduates to serve compulsorily in Nigeria for five years before getting full licences to practise.

    It also wants immediate domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act and a review of Hazard Allowance by state governments.

    The PUNCH reports that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, had on Tuesday, relayed the FG’s warning to the association to shelve the strike.

    He issued the warning shortly after receiving a letter of notification from the NARD executive on the planned strike.

    In a statement signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Olajide Oshundun, Ngige said the planned strike was illegal.

    “There is nothing like a warning strike. A strike is a strike. If they want to take that risk, the options are there. They have the right to strike. You cannot deny them that right.

    “Their employer has another right under Section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act, however, to withhold their pay for those five days.

    “If the NARD has strike funds to pay its members for those five days, no problem.

    “The health minister will instruct teaching hospitals to employ ad-hoc people for those five days and use the money of the people who went on strike to pay the ad-hoc doctors,’’ Ngige said.

    He advised the doctors to avail themselves of the opportunity to dialogue with their employers, rather than embarking on a warning strike, which is unknown to the law.

    NARD awaits FG’s call for negotiations

    Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, the President of NARD, Dr Orji said that members were still awaiting the Federal Government’s call for negotiations.

    “I am still in my hotel room now and I have not received any call to come to the table to discuss the strike.

    “We also heard that the government is planning a `no work, no pay’ strategy, but our position is that it should resolve issues raised because that is the only way to avoid escalation.

    “Issuing threats will definitely worsen the problem. If no work, and no pay is implemented, our members will determine how we will handle it.

    “Going by that route will escalate the problem because it means that government is not ready to address the issues we have raised and will rather give punitive measures.

    “Our members will decide and give us further directives, but no one should blame us if they decide to escalate the strike,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • Doctors hold emergency NEC meeting as strike ultimatum ends

    Doctors hold emergency NEC meeting as strike ultimatum ends

    Lara Adejoro

    The two-week ultimatum issued by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors to the Federal Government will elapse today (Saturday).

    The association has, however, scheduled its extraordinary National Executive Council meeting for Monday, May 15, 2023, virtually to deliberate on the ultimatum.

    NARD had on April 29, 2023, given the Federal Government two weeks to meet its demands or face industrial disharmony.

    The doctors are demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 per cent of the current gross salaries of doctors.

    The doctors also want the immediate withdrawal of the bill seeking to compel medical and dental graduates to render five-year compulsory services in Nigeria before being granted full licence to practise.

    They also want the immediate implementation of CONMESS, domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act, and review of hazard allowance by all the state governments as well as private tertiary health institutions where any form of residency training is done; among others.

    The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, had told The Reportr Door that the government had commenced moves to avert the planned strike by the doctors by initiating high-level discussions with the doctors.

    However, the President of the resident doctors, Dr. Emeka Orji, told our correspondent the government has not negotiated with the doctors regarding their demands.

    He said, “They feel that they are done with the government, and they want to hand over to the next administration, but many of the demands can be met before they hand over.

    “For instance, there was a brain drain committee set up last year regarding the severe manpower shortage, the committee finished their work and made recommendations in February on how to implement the one-to-one policy, but three months down the line, the circular is yet to come out.

    “This is not something that should be handed over to the next administration because our hospitals are depleted, we don’t have people there, and patients are dying. So, there is no how that circular cannot come out. They don’t need any extra-budgetary allocation to implement that one and the circular within the Federal Ministry of Health; we don’t know why they have not brought it out.”

    He also said there is no circular to back up the salary pay rise the government claimed to have offered the Nigerian Medical Association.

    “This should not be handed over to the next administration, they should handle it before they go, and they have not negotiated with us.

    “With our NEC meeting, our members will discuss the next step to take. I have feelers that the NEC members are enraged, it may not be like other times when we will issue ultimatums and shelve industrial action, they may likely take a different decision,” he added.

    Dr. Ehanire could not respond to inquiries made by our correspondent on the matter.

    He did not pick calls and did not respond to a text message sent to him on the matter.

    No response has been received from him at the time this report was filed.

     

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  • LAUTECH doctors withdraw services over unpaid salaries, conditions of service

    LAUTECH doctors withdraw services over unpaid salaries, conditions of service

    Doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State began an industrial action on Monday over poor conditions of service.

    The industrial action was called by the hospital’s chapter of the Medical and Dental Association of Nigeria and announced by its Chairman, Dr. Ayobami Alabi, and Secretary, Dr. Taiwo Alatishe in a statement.

    They stated that the decision was based on a congress resolution arrived at, at the expiration of an ultimatum earlier issued.

    The chapter’s MDCAN declared that it had critically observed the situation in the hospital and there was no definite assurance that issues in contention would soon be resolved either partly or wholly.

    The association stated that it had made efforts in the past to safeguard the hospital from total collapse and to reposition it for better training, research, and services for which it was established.

    It declared as unacceptable the continued non-payment of salaries of its members recently employed.

    It also decried the “delay and difficulty in payment of 2016 to 2017 salary arrears by the management.

    It added that some of the other issues in contention were the shortage of manpower across the different cadres of doctors, including consultants, specialists across different fields, resident doctors, specialists in training, and house officers.

    “The prescribed ratio of doctors expected to function in a tertiary hospital is already distorted and highly eroded by this shortfall undermining quality training and service.

    “The persistent inability of hospital management to employ doctors and other staff hinged on the excuse of paucity of funds, has led to failure in expanding the scope of training and services,’’ it stated.

    It also decried the decadence in infrastructure, equipment and facilities which it stated was making the hospital operate below the optimal standard expected of a teaching hospital.

    It listed the poor conditions of service to include a lack of basic facilities like offices for consultants and non-response from management in spite of years of appeal.

    The withdrawal of service “is done to safeguard the hospital from total collapse and to reposition it for better training, research, and services for which it was established.

    “The board of the hospital failed to respond appropriately and satisfactorily to all these challenges over the years despite our various engagements, tolerance, and show of understanding.

    “This treatment is anti-labour. It is also considered inhumane with the attending psychological and emotional trauma,’’ it stressed.

    It noted that it was becoming impracticable for the hospital’s management to provide basic amenities for effective service delivery.

    The MDCAN appealed to the public, traditional rulers, critical stakeholders, and the state government to come to the rescue of the teaching hospital to reposition it for better output. 

    (NAN)

  • NARD fumes as Ngige condemns doctors’ ‘entitlement mentality’

    NARD fumes as Ngige condemns doctors’ ‘entitlement mentality’

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has described as absurd the demands being made and the ultimatum issued by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors to the Federal Government.

    Ngige said the government had given the doctors everything they wanted, adding that their sense of entitlement was “too much.”

    NARD had on Saturday given the Federal Government two weeks to meet its demands or face industrial disharmony.

    The doctors are demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 per cent of the current gross salaries of doctors.

    The doctors also want the immediate withdrawal of the bill seeking to compel medical and dental graduates to render five-year compulsory services in Nigeria before being granted full licence to practise.

    They also want the immediate implementation of CONMESS, domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act and review of hazard allowance by all the state governments as well as private tertiary health institutions where any form of residency training is done; among others.

    But speaking on Arise Television on Monday, Ngige said the doctors’ demands were absurd, adding that they had the option of leaving the country.

    The minister said, “If the NARD, who we have been managing their matter…We are giving them everything they want, including their Medical Resident Training Fund; we are paying them, even when in training, paying them full salary, paying them all the allowances and you decided that we have not done enough. Like I said before, you have an option to go. It is left for the education ministry and the health ministry to fashion out what they can do.

    “You asked that a bill by one of the members of the House of Representatives be removed and that is one of the reasons you want to go on strike. How can the government tell a member who has done a private member’s bill… It is not even an executive bill, you now release it as one of the conditions of going on strike; that is absurd!

    “The entitlements syndrome, the sense of entitlement is too much in this country and like I said earlier, you obey the law you look odd, you apply the law, you look odd or you are a wicked man. I don’t have any apologies for whatever I have done in the management of trade disputes.”

    But reacting to the minister’s statement, NARD said every association deserved the right to ask for a salary increment.

    Speaking with The PUNCH, the Secretary-General of NARD, Dr Chikezie Kelechi, said, “We do not have an entitlement mentality and our demands are not absurd. Every association deserves the right to ask for an increment in salary.

    “The Medical Residency Training Fund has been there and has been paid about three times now. It is paid once a year and it was approved in 2017 and did not take effect until about three years ago. Even those three years, every time it is paid, there is a threat of a strike. The government does not ordinarily want to pay and these monies are appropriated but there is this unwillingness to pay. Every year, there has to be a threat of strike for them to pay.

    “We are tired of getting the government to do what they are supposed to do naturally. The first round of update courses for the year has been done, the first round of exams for the year has been concluded and these monies were not paid. So, what is he saying?

    “A fund has been provided in the budget but somebody is not willing to pay as and when due. It is not proper. When has demanding our rights become an entitlement mentality? When he said the government is providing everything we need, what exactly is being provided?

    “The Consolidated Medical Salary Structure was approved in 2009 but did not take effect until 2014 and it was meant to be reviewed in five years but it started implementation in the next five years. We are in 2023, the salary structure has not been reviewed despite the inflation.”

    Also, the President of the association, Emeka Orji, said doctors’ demands had been long overdue.

    “We have not gone on strike for some time now because we are considering Nigerians but this particular ultimatum is about Nigerians and if you want to be sincere you will know that there is brain drain and it is affecting the functionality of our hospitals.

    “People who visit public hospitals know that the quality of services has reduced, there is cancellation of surgeries and people are dying. We can’t wait until the system collapses, yet nobody has come out to address these issues or dispute it,” Orji said.

  • May Day: Doctors, others to benefit from pay rise, arrears – FG assures

    May Day: Doctors, others to benefit from pay rise, arrears – FG assures

    Deborah Tolu-Kolawole

    Doctors, lecturers and other categories of civil servants under the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure, Consolidated Medical Salary Scale, popularly known as CONMESS, alongside the CONHESS and CONTISS salary scales will also benefit from an undisclosed percentage of pay rise, Nigeria’s minister of Labour, Employment and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige disclosed on Monday.

    Speaking during the commemoration of the 2023 International Workers’ Day celebration at Eagle’s Square in Abuja, Ngige, said workers will also be paid arrears of the increase from January 2023.

    The Reportr Door had earlier reported how only the 144,766 federal civil servants under the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure benefited from the introduction of the 40% pay rise (peculiar allowance) by the Federal Government.

    Addressing the public during the event, Dr. Ngige noted that the National Salaries, Wages and Income Commission are working towards the finalisation of the increase.

    “ It will also be recalled that since the emergence of the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure on the first of January, 2007, it has not been reviewed by any of the past administrations but for the consequential Minimum wage adjustment of 2019, for all wage structures under this government in 2019.

    “However, in line with the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerian workers, the Federal Government recently worked out the introduction of a 40 per cent Peculiar Allowance into the remuneration and emoluments of core federal civil servants and other public servants on the CONPSS to help cushion the effects of inflation and other costs of doing their work as they are not on any special allowances.

    “This demonstrates the government and leadership commitment to improving workers’ welfare and conditions of service even without any Industrial action but is a fallout of social dialogue.

    “However other workers in the other different wage structures like CONHESS, CONMESS, CONUAS and CONTISS that started their Collective Bargaining with their Employer even with Industrial action, are wounding up their CBAs fo9. the National Salaries Incomes and wages to transmit same for final treatment as provisions were made in the 2023 Appropriations for them with effect from 1st January 2023”.