By Joseph Edegbo:
Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) is to meet on June 2, 2018 following the Federal Government failure to recall sacked members of the association at Jos University Teaching Hospital, JUTH.
The Government had earlier been given 21 days to do the needful which expires Thursday 31st May 2018
At a news briefing in Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria, the leadership of the associatiin hinted that the extra ordinary National Executive Meeting scheduled to hold in Abuja would not guarantee Industrial harmony in the health sector.
“NARD leadership may not be able to guarantee continuous industrial harmony should our legitimate agitations be ignored by government.
Text of a statement, jointly signed by NARD Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr. Ugochukwu A. Eze, National Eye Centre, Kaduna, Dr. Ibrahim Zakarya Abubakar, President, Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Sokomba Aliyu, ABUTH Zaria, and President Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Kaduna, Dr. Elonu Chukwudi Charles here under reads;
The group recalled that on 27th March, 2018 NARD had an extraordinary National Executive Council meeting where issues pertaining to the unjust sack of Resident Doctors in Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos (JUTH) were extensively discussed.
“At the end of the meeting, a 30 days ultimatum was issued starting from the 2nd of April, 2018 which elapsed on the 2nd of May, 2018.
“Twelve (12) days after the expiration of the ultimatum, at the Ordinary General Meeting held in ABUTH Zaria from 5th–11th May, 2018, the ultimatum was extended by 21days to allow Government time to effect recall of all sacked Residents Doctors in JUTH and also to meet up with all outstanding agreement contained in our 6th September, 2017 Memorandum of Terms of Settlement. This ultimatum ends tomorrow 31st May, 2018, ” it said.
NARD explained that the group has done all that was required to help solve the problem in JUTH through extensive advocacy.
“The September 2017 strike was suspended to allow government complete implementation of the terms of settlement but there are still unmet agreements by the Government.
“It may also interest the general public to know that the members of Joint Health Sector Workers Union (JOHESU) have been on strike for the past 44 days. Healthcare in the country has been anchored upon the shoulders of Resident Doctors mainly (NARD being the largest single body of Doctors in Nigeria), “they pointed out.
The group therefore, appealed to Government and the public to impress on government to reciprocate their good will and solve their problem.
The Residency training programme is a programme where Specialist Doctors are trained to guarantee availability of Specialist Health Services in the country and minimize brain drain.
https://www.africaprimenews.com/2018/03/30/conflict/resident-doctors-give-nigerian-government-30-days-ultimatum-to-recall-sacked-colleagues/