Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has directed chief medical directors (CMDs) and medical director (MDs) of Federal Government-owned tertiary health institutions to fill the vacancies created by resident doctors who are on strike.
The resident doctors embarked on a nationwide strike on Monday.
Spokesperson of the ministry, Boade Akinola said the directive was contained in a circular signed by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Amina Shamaki.
“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come to the notice of the management of the ministry that some resident doctors in your establishment have voluntarily withdrawn from the Residency Training Programme by refusing to report for training without authorisation. Public Service Rule, PSR 030402 (e) is relevant.
“This is in spite of ongoing negotiations on their demands, put forward by representatives of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) under the auspices of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).
“In view of this development, you are, hereby, directed to replace all the doctors who have withdrawn their services with others from the pool of applicants for the training programmes in the various disciplines in order not to create ominous gap in training with attendant disruption of healthcare delivery in your facility.
“Meanwhile, the ministry is working with the panel on the review of the Residency Training Programme in Nigeria, led by Professor Wole Atoyebi, 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 On Monday, Borno chapter of NARD disassociated itself from the strike. The association, through a statement signed by the Acting President, Muhammad Abdullahi, said it decided to back out of the strike because of the grave consequences the action would have on the health condition of thousands of displaced Boko Haram victims, especially in Maiduguri.
“It should be noted that all inhabitants of the 27 local government areas of Borno state are currently residing in Internally Displaced Persons camps within Maiduguri Metropolis. Two days ago, about 200 victims with different ailment were freed from captivity within Bama town and its environs, all recieving care in our facility,” the association said.
It said the doctors ought to provide medical care to the military personnel and personnel of other security agencies engage in the counter-insurgency operation, adding that it was a sacrifice doctors should made now.
Source Sun News
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