Juliet Jacob Ochenje
The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has called on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, ditch all punitive measures and instead, resolve all areas of disagreement between it and resident doctors in the country.
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) had, on July 26, 2023, gone on strike to compel the government to meet its demands. It had earlier issued a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government which elapsed.
Among the demands of the resident doctors are implementation of the one-for-one replacement policy for healthcare workers; the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to discontinue the downgrading of the membership certificate issued by the West African Postgraduate Medical and Surgical Colleges; the immediate payment of all salary arrears; the implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure; a new hazard allowance; and the domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act.
The Federal Government reacted by invoking a no qork, no pay policy, thereby worsening the tension between the two groups.
But in a statement issued on Tuesday, NMA President, Dr. Uche Ojinmah, urged the government to eshew all punitive responses in the interest of industrial harmony.
He said: “NMA, as the umbrella body for all doctors in Nigeria is the mother association to the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and hence as a matter of policy must protect/promote her interest.”
Going further, he stated:”It is our belief that this avoidable labour dispute has gone on for far too long to the detriment of the common Nigerian citizen.”
NMA also appealed to NARD to extend a gesture of goodwill towards the Government in the interest of “our suffering patients and fellow citizens.
“Let’s put aside all obstacles (contrived or real) towards speedy resolution of this dispute for the love of the Nation,” NMA added, while assuring that ‘a better Nigeria is a tangible reality if we all do right by this nation.”
About the Author
