Nigerian Medical Association members in Abuja on Friday protested the sack of resident doctors across the country by the Federal Government on Thursday.
Addressing journalists at the NMA secretariat, the association’s National President, Dr. Kayode Obembe, warned the affected doctors against collecting any sack letter or signing any register opened in any hospital.
“For the avoidance of doubt, no doctor, no matter how hungry, should pick up any locum appointment with the government hospitals as directed by the circular.
“Any doctor who flouts this directive does so at his or her own peril.”
“It is definite and clear that we approached government with 24-point demand and government approved all but that does not translate into the implementation and what had been said that 90 per cent of our demands had been met, is absolutely false,” he stated.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has described the protest by the Nigerian Medical Association over the suspension of the Residency Training Programme nationwide, as embarrassing and an act of impunity.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Linus Awute, who stated this while addressing journalists in Abuja said the Federal Government’s action was in the best interest of the general health care delivery in the country.
He said, “It is an embarrassment and an act of impunity for a group of people who have suspended themselves for over a month despite receiving salaries, asking government to lift a formal suspension placed on them.”
He lamented that the strike embarked upon by the resident doctors had brought untoward hardship and death to many Nigerians.
He said, “Training is not going on again in hospitals since the resident doctors had withdrawn their services and even while on strike they receive their July salary.
“This country doesn’t need any form of distraction at the moment. There is a national emergency now and they should allow government to concentrate.”
If the doctors protest their deserved sack, they can go to court, but they should vacate govt premises
It was a great mistake to pay somebody who has not worked, therefore they should be sued and made to pay back that money, since, their absence from the hospitals have incresed death tolls