After 55 days it downed tools to press home it’s demands, the Nigerian Medical Association suspended their industrial action with immediate effect.
President of the association, Dr. Kayode Obembe, who addressed journalists in Abuja on Sunday directed all members to resume at their various duty posts on Monday.
Obembe said the decision to suspend the industrial action was taken after the Emergency Delegate Meeting of the association, held in Abuja on Saturday.
He said that at the delegates meeting, it was resolved to demand for an immediate reversal of the suspension of Residency Training Programme by the federal government.
The 10-point communique read by the president, states in part:
“Delegates demand immediate withdrawal of the government circular (Ref No C3132/V/46 of 13th August, 2014) suspending the RTP and sacking of over 16,000 resident doctors who constitute about 70 percent of doctors’ workfoce in Nigeria.
“The NMA urge government , on its part, to reciprocate its goodwill in ensuring that resident doctors whose appointments were so terminated are reinstated immediately without any punitive measures.”
Obembe added that the NMA remained committed towards the health of Nigerians, and reiterate that it will not renege in her resolve and total support for government efforts to provide quality, affordable, and accessible health services for all citizens.
He said the group equally directed its members in the State Ebola Monitoring Committees to continue to liaise with their state governments to immediately set up emergency response teams for the prevention, and treatment of any outbreak of EVD in their various states.
Obembe, however commended the efforts of the federal and Lagos state governments in containing the spread of EVD and the establishment of isolation centres in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
