…Or they may emulate UK counterparts
Doctors in Nigeria have demanded a review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Scheme (CONMESS) and payment of revised 2023 medical residency training fund by the Federal Government before May 29 hand-over date.
This demand is coming at the heels of doctors strike in England’s public health service which began yesterday and has been described as the most disruptive strike in UK’s history over pay and working conditions of the health workers.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), in a communiqué issued by its President, Dr. Emeka Innocent Orji, at the end of its virtual Emergency Extended National Officers’ Committee (NOC), advised the House of Representatives on the unpopular bill sponsored by Ganiyu Johnson.
NARD described the bill as the definition of modern-day slavery and should be thrown out.
While NARD agrees with House of Representatives on the dangers of wave of brain drain in the country, they however, said any attempt by government or its agencies to enslave Nigerian medical doctors would be resisted by the association.
President of NARD, Orji, said the emergency virtual meeting was due to several outstanding welfare issues bothering the members of the association as well as other burning contemporary issues in the country.
Following the virtual meeting, a communiqué was released.
It reads: “The extended NOC calls for immediate action by the federal government with regards to the upward review of the CONMESS salary structure which has not been done for over ten years now, and to ensure implementation of same before the May 29th hand-over date.
“The extended NOC appreciates the Federal Government of Nigeria for the near completion of the payment of 2020 MRTF and the reviewed hazard allowance arrears. They encouraged the government to ensure that the few persons yet to be paid are settled forthwith.
“The extended NOC calls on government to expedite action on the processing and payment of the reviewed MRTF for the year 2023 as these funds are meant to offset debts associated with update courses as well as examinations of both the national and west African postgraduate colleges, events that have since kicked off for the year.
“The extended NOC urges the Federal Government to keep to agreements reached by the stakeholders constituted by the Ministry of Health on the implementation of the 2023 MRTF and to expedite action on its payment immediately, as any attempts to do otherwise would only throw the health sector into another series of undesired crises.
“The extended NOC admonishes the House of Representatives that the obnoxious bill as sponsored by Ganiyu Johnson is a clear definition of modern day slavery and not in keeping with anything civil and so should be thrown away at this point. The house, however, agreed with him on the palpable dangers of the current menace of brain drain in the health sector and promises to work with government to reverse the trend when the government is ready to come up with genuine solutions to the problem.
“The extended NOC reiterates that any attempt by government or any of her agencies to enslave Nigerian medical doctors under any guise would be strongly and vehemently resisted by the association.”
