Fear Over Doctors’ Strike As Health Workers Abandon Hospitals

By Fola James

On June 12, all the resident doctors in Nigeria will embark on strike except their demands are met by the federal government.

And 13 days to the deadline, Nigerians are already apprehensive that any strike at this time will lead to collapse of the nation’s health sector, particularly as the corona virus pandemic is already having a toll on public hospitals across the country.

The doctors under the aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, on Saturday intimated the government that its members will abandon their duties at the expiration of the deadline.

Their main demands: the federal government should provide Personal Protective Equipment, PPE for doctors at the frontline of the COVID 19 battle.

The Source learnt that over 230 workers have already been infected with the virus.

For fear of contracting the virus, some health workers are said to have abandoned their duties.

The doctors, therefore, called “on the Federal and State governments to provide adequate personnel protective equipment such as N95 respirators, gloves, etc. to all health workers.

Health workers in the country have complained about shortages of N95 or surgical mask, respirators, gloves and other necessary medical gears for their members working in public hospitals.

They are worried about more of their members contracting the virus after those already infected.

The doctors said they could no longer watch while the lives of their members are put at risk.

NARD issued the warning in a communiqué at the end of its 40^th ordinary General Meeting and Scientific Conference, held yesterday in Kaduna.

The doctors are not also happy with the disengagement of some of their members by their employers in the state and federal government hospitals.

Signed by NARD President, Dr. Sokomba Aliyu, and Publicity Secretary, Dr. Egbogu Stanley, the doctors demanded all issues be resolved, failure which they will have no option than to call their members out of duties.

First of all NARD “demands immediate recall of the sacked resident doctors at Jos University Teaching Hospital and payments of their salaries

The association also demands the universal implementation of the Residency Training Act in both Federal and State Teaching hospitals.

NARD demands immediate implementation of the revised hazard allowance, and payment of COVID-19 inducement allowance.”

They demand governments at all level to take the welfare of their members serious.

Accordingly “OGM resolves that urgent steps be taken to ensure that the fate of our members at the State Tertiary Health Institutions is improved through engagement with the various state governments and relevant stakeholders.

The association enjoined the Federal Government through the National Assembly to ensure full capture of the residency training funding in the 2021 Appropriation Act. It also demanded payment of arrears of the consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage to its members at both Federal and state tertiary health institutions.

NARD observes the slashing of salaries of our members at state tertiary health institutions with particular reference to Kaduna state government that cut the salaries of health workers by twenty-five percent,” the communiqué said.

Harassment of their members by security agencies must also stop, while efforts should be made by the authority to settle doctor’s emoluments.

“OGM observes non-implementation of the revised hazard allowance, the non-procurement of life insurance, non-payment of the death benefits claims and COVID- 19 inducement allowance of doctors in various health institutions.

NARD observes non-payment of arrears of the consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage to some of her members.

It also observed with concern, the non-implementation of revised CONMESS and skipping arrears by some state governments in various state tertiary teaching hospitals.

The NARD noted the shortage of medical staff especially resident doctors in most health institutions across the country and called on the government to address the problem,” the doctors added in the communiqué.

Meanwhile, concerned Nigerians have appealed to state and federal government to address the doctors’ demands to stop them from going on strike, adding that allowing the doctors to down tool will further cause chaos in the health sector and the sufferings of poor Nigerians who could not afford private hospitals.