Auspices of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) had
embarked on a strike to press home their demand for an improvement in their
welfare on July 1 and several attempts to resolve the issue have ended in a
stalemate.
The government had earlier accused the doctors of neglecting
their oath to protect lives and continue to turn down the request to suspend
the strike, particularly during the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus and the
ongoing insurgency in some parts of the country.
“President Goodluck Jonathan has suspended the
residency training programme for doctors in Nigeria indefinitely for the
purposes of appraising the challenges facing the health sector,” read the
letter.
“In line with the above, the Honourable Minister has
directed that you issue letters of termination of Residency Training
appointment to the affected Resident Doctors in your Hospital immediately.
“The
Board of Management is to take all necessary measures to immediately restore
full medical services in your hospital. Note however this is without prejudice
to the employment of Locum Physicians on six months renewable contract tied to
productivity and good behavior.
” In an interview with TheCable, one of the affected doctors
condemned the development, stating that it is an indication that government
does not know its priority.
“The federal government should have asked the government of
Lagos state that tried toeing that lane, the end result of such action,” she
said. “Simply because we demanded for our rights they are attempting to
intimidate us. Anyway, let us see who blinks first.
” A source told TheCable that the federal government had
directed that local doctors and doctors in military hospitals should be
employed pending the time that the doctors are replaced.
SOURCE: The Cable
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