The Association of Resident Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, administration began an indefinite strike on Monday.
This was disclosed in a communique issued by the ARD-FCT on Monday, signed by its President, Dr. George Ebong, and General-Secretary, Dr. Agbor Affiong.
The association had embarked on a seven-day warning strike last Monday to press home its demands, following months of unresolved negotiations with the FCTA.
Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke has urged medical professionals to support and collaborate with the government in ending the menace of quackery within the medical practice.
Governor Adeleke made the call at the opening ceremony of the National Executive Council meeting of the National Association of Government General Medical and Dental Practitioners, NAGMDP, in Osogbo, Osun State.
The Governor, represented at the event by his Special Adviser on Public Health, Dr. Akindele Adekunle outlined the responsibilities on the shoulders of doctors in the society, noting that any half-baked professionals or quacks should not be encouraged within the profession.
He maintained that as professionals backed by laws and ethics, medical professionals have the responsibilities to save lives even with surgical knives in the theatre.
He noted that more often the irreparable damages done to the body of victims of quacks are forced on the qualified medical professionals for repair which calls for collaboration to end quackery in the profession.
The Governor urged the council, on behalf of our people and as patients would always beckon on their physicians, to do everything within their professional reach to combat the menace of quackery in the system.
Governor Adeleke appreciated members of the association for the support his administration has enjoyed in offering their services during the Imole Free Medical Outreach his administration has embarked upon in giving life to people of the state that may be distressed with one ailment or the other.
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Residents Doctors at University College Hospital Ibadan, UCH have left their duty post in compliance with the ongoing five-day warning strike declared by the National Association of Residents Doctors, NARD.
The reason behind the warning strike, according to the doctors, included manpower shortage, non-increment of the Consolidated Medical Salary Salary Structure, poor infrastructure, and nonpayment of the Medical Residency Training fund.
During a visit to the hospital, Radio Nigeria observed that some units of the Hospital such as Maternity, Casualty, and Out Patient, which normally record large turnout, were scanty.
Only a few consultants were on the ground attending to patients as doctors on call duty were not available.
In an interview, the President of the Association of Residents Doctors UCH, Dr Ogundipe Muyiwa, explained that the warning strike was inevitable following Federal Government’s refusal to call them to a round table over their demands.
Dr Ogundipe said doctors’ Consolidated Workers’ Salary was last reviewed in 2009, pointing out that they worked under poor conditions with few medical personnel, poor facilities, among other challenges.
He called on Federal Government to review its bureaucratic approach to issues raised, recruit more doctors and enhance the welfare of doctors.
Dr Ogundipe gave an assurance that if Federal Government acceded to NARD’s demands, the country’s health sector witness significant improvement.
The UCH NARD Chairman, who said that the health of the masses remained paramount to the association, appealed to the Federal Government to respond positively to their demands to put an end to the strike.
Some patients, who spoke with Radio Nigeria, urged governments to urgently resolve the disagreement with NARD to end the disruption of medical services.
The National Association of Residents Doctors last Wednesday declared a five-day warning strike following the Federal government’s refusal to address their demands.
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The Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has warned that the country stands to witness the flight of more health workers abroad if the government does not address factors fueling the brain drain.
The Chairman, NMA Lagos Branch, Dr. Benjamin Olowojebutu gave the warning at a stakeholders engagement with political party leadership and gubernatorial candidate in Lagos organized by the Global Health Advocacy Incubator in partnership with Legislative Initiative For Sustainable Development.
Dr. Benjamin Olowojebutu explained that brain drain syndrome continues to deplete the health workforce, revealing that in December of 2022, more than 1,800 healthcare workers left the country for greener pastures.
According to Olowojebutu, Medicine as a profession “might go into extinction” in the country if the problem persisted.
“There is a very big challenge about brain drain. I have said several times that we have to be very deliberate about how we tackle this. There is a pull and push syndrome that is affecting doctors leaving Lagos State,” he declared.
“During COVID-19 in 2020, 81 doctors moved from Lagos to the UK. They had a special plane that came to carry them from the UK. Between March 2020 and October 2022, we lost 507 doctors from Lagos state to the UK.
“In December 2022 alone, we lost over 1,800 doctors and other healthcare workers to brain drain. We need to think of how to make healthcare attractive and sustainable.
“Before, we used to have young doctors travelling abroad for greener pastures, but now, even the consultants that are supposed to be training the young doctors are leaving the country.
“There is a dearth of doctors in Nigeria, especially in Lagos State. Some places don’t have specialities anymore because the specialists have left the country at this time”.
Dr Olowojebutu stressed the imperative for government to “critically treat the issue as an emergency” and to solve the problem.
Culled/Simeon Ugbodovon
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Doctors in Abia State, Friday barricaded the major entrance gate to the Government House Umuahia, demanding the immediate release of their Kidnapped colleague, Professor Uwadinachi Iweha. Professor Iweha was Kidnapped on Sunday, June 6, 2022, inside his dark-blue Highland Jeep while driving out of his house at Umuokpara in Umuahia South Local Government Area.
The doctors carried placards with various inscriptions such as:” Doctors’ lives matter”, “Dr. Iweha should be released to his family”, and “ Doctors have the right to live”, among others.
Speaking on behalf of the doctors during the peaceful protest, Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Abia State chapter, Dr. Chimezie Okwuonu, said that the abduction of the medical doctor had thrown the medical community in the state into confusion and apprehension. He expressed concern that since the sad incident on Sunday, every effort made towards securing his release from the captors had not yielded any fruit.
The doctors sought the Government’s urgent intervention to rescue their Kidnapped colleague while decrying the rate of abductions in the country.
The NMA Chairman threatened that if after 48 hours their Kidnapped member were not released, doctors across the state might have no other option than to down tools as their safety could no longer be guaranteed in the state.
Dr. Iweha was kidnapped exactly two weeks after the Prelate of Methodist Church of Nigeria, His Eminence Samuel Uche and two other clerics traveling with him were abducted by unknown gunmen suspected to be herders around the Lokpa axis of Enugu Port Harcourt Expressway. The Prelate who was released two days later after a ransom of N100 million was paid, alleged that his captors were Fulani herdsmen.
Meanwhile, the NMA Chairman later read a communiqué issued at the end of an emergency general meeting of the medical body held at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia before the protest. According to the communiqué jointly signed by the Chairman, Dr. Okwuonu, and the Secretary, Dr. Robinson Ugwuanyi, NMA said it had worked tirelessly but without success to secure the release of Prof. Iweha.
It read in part:” That up till today 10th June 2022, Prof Iweha has not been released from the kidnappers’ den.
“That this is traumatic, depressing, dehumanising and has instilled a lot of fear within the medical community whose primary objective is to save the life of Abians from the medical point of view.
“With the current state of fear caused by the kidnap and detention of our colleague, safety cannot be guaranteed to the Medical Doctors in Abia State and it will be difficult to attend to our normal duties since no one knows who will be the next victim.”
“We demand immediate release of Prof Uwadinachi Iweha from the captivity of the kidnappers.
“If Prof Iweha is not released in 48 hours, members of the Nigerian Medical Association may be forced to down tools as our security in the performance of our usual duties is not guaranteed.
“This communiqué serves as a notice for the aforementioned action.”
The union, however, called for intensified prayers for the release of its abducted member.
Responding, Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu assured the doctors that efforts were being intensified to secure the release of their Kidnapped colleague.
Ikpeazu who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Chief Okey Ahaiwe, said that the Government would stop at nothing in ensuring total security of lives and property across the state.
Vanguard
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors NARD, University College Hospital, UCH Chapter have called off its two months old strike action.
Speaking through the hospital’s Public Relations Officer Mr Toye Akinrinlola a substantial part of their demands had been met.
Mr Akinrinlola noted that salaries had been paid by the federal Government which necessitated their withdrawal.
Our health correspondent reports that activities have resumed at the hospital while patients and their relatives wore smiling faces over the development.
The Association had embarked on an indefinite strike over unpaid four months salaries of some of its member.
The doctors had demanded, amongst other things, payment of all salary arrears and review of the current hazard allowance to 50% of consolidated basic salaries for all health workers.
Lilian Ibomor
