The Nigeria Medical Association, FCT Chapter has urged the federal government to reverse its ‘no work, no pay’ policy following the strike of the National Association of Residents Doctors.
Speaking, the Chairman of the NMA in Abuja, Charles Ugwuanyi, stated that further actions on the proposed plan will destroy the health sector which was already in a declining position.
Mr. Ugwuanyi revealed that the doctors who were rightfully demanding their rights should be encouraged to stay owing to the perceived healthcare challenge of the dearth of doctors in the country.
The call by the association which was made in collaboration with the Nasarawa and Kogi chapters at a news conference on Sunday in Abuja to usher in the 2023 annual general meeting and scientific conference of the NMA called on governments at different levels to take the safety of workers seriously.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Nigeria has less than 25,000 registered and practicing doctors, stressing that the government must find a way to encourage doctors to stay in the country.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has announced plans to embark on a peaceful protest from Wednesday, 9th August 2023 to press home their demands to the Federal Ministry of Health, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, as well as all federal and state tertiary health institutions nationwide.
A notice jointly signed by the National President, Dr. Emeka Orji, and the Secretary, Dr. Chikezie Kelechi, said the mass action has become necessary to press home the doctors’ demands, which according to them, have been largely neglected by their parent ministry and the federal government.
“We are pained that rather than make genuine and concerted efforts to resolve the challenges that led to the industrial action despite repeated ultimatums, our parent ministry and the federal government have chosen to demonize Nigerian resident doctors instead, after all, their sacrifices and patriotism.
“We, therefore, resolved that it is time the whole world hears our side of the story – the decay and corruption in the health sector as well as the neglect the public health institutions have suffered all these years that led to repeated industrial actions.
“We believe that the government still has time to genuinely address the issues at stake before Wednesday, August 9, 2023, or leave us with no other option,” the statement explained.
