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  • FG postpones meeting with striking doctors

    FG postpones meeting with striking doctors

    A meeting between the Federal Government and striking resident doctors scheduled for Tuesday (today) has been postponed.

    The government explained that this was to give room for the Federal Ministry of Health, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and other relevant agencies to complete the assignments given at last week’s meeting.

    Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige yesterday said the meeting with the leadership of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) would be rescheduled.

    Ngige said: “The meeting is not holding tomorrow. We are waiting for the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) to give us the green light.

    “The assignments assigned to different agencies, MDCN, committee of Vice-Chancellors have been completed and the list of House Officers transmitted to the Accountant General’s Office.

    “The government side is expected to complete all their assignments Monday and Tuesday. They will tell me what they have done tomorrow (today) and the FMoH will then call for a meeting. The meeting will hold whenever the FMoH is ready.”

  • NMA backs striking resident doctors, accuses Ngige of hate speech

    NMA backs striking resident doctors, accuses Ngige of hate speech

    The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has declared support for the striking doctors under the aegis of Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

    The foremost medical body also accused the Minister of Labour and Productivity Dr. Chris Ngige of hate speech for the way he spoke during a Channels Television aired on Friday night.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the minister had during the interview said will Federal Government will implement the ‘no work, no pay’ on the striking National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) if they refuse to resume work.

    “By Tuesday, I will invite them back. If they become recalcitrant, there are other things I can do. There are weapons in the Labour Laws, I will invoke them. There is no work, no pay.

    Their employers have a role also to keep their business afloat, to keep patients alive. They can employ local doctors. We won’t get there but if we are going to get there, we will use that stick” the minister said during the interview.

    In a swift response the NMA tackled claims by Ngige who also doubles as a medical doctor. Read press release below:

    PRESS RELEASE
    RESIDENT DOCTORS ARE PAID ALL OVER THE WORLD

    The attention of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has been drawn to a recent live interview granted on Channels TV on Friday, 2nd April 2021, by the Honourable Minister of Labour and Productivity, HE, Senator Dr Chris Ngige OON.

    In the interview, the Honourable Minister alleged that in the United States of America (USA) and other developed countries, Resident Doctors pay for their residency training abroad, whereas in Nigeria, the government pays them.

    In as much as we appreciate the efforts being made by the government to resolve the issues that have led to this avoidable and unnecessary industrial action by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) wishes to clarify the misinformation by the Honourable Minister in
    the interview, which is seriously viewed to be a hate speech capable of bringing down the health system in Nigeria and thereby worsening the health care delivery and further escalate the rather unimaginable current brain drain.

    In the United States of America and other developed countries, Resident Doctors work as they are being trained and they are paid by their employers. In the United Kingdom, the employer of Resident Doctors is the NHS, which is similar to what is obtainable in Nigeria.

    Furthermore, Residents also pay to take their postgraduate Medical examinations in the developed countries, which is what also obtains in Nigeria.

    The NMA is totally in disagreement with the way and manner some government functionaries carry out their duties’ which is completely insensitive to the plight of the people.

    Accountability is the fulcrum for good governance in all facets and we do not demand anything less from those charged with the responsibility of governing the people.

    In order to resolve the lingering crisis in the Nigerian health sector, the NMA urges the government to prioritise and improve the healthcare delivery to Nigerians and at the same time improve the welfare of Medical practitioners and other health workers, which is considered the most sustainable means of delivering quality health care to the people who in the first place elected them.

    Perhaps, this will help to reduce the current brain drain being experienced that is dealing a deadly blow to our health care delivery system, which has made our hospitals to be regarded as mere Consulting Clinics.

    The NMA wishes to assure Nigerians that it is willing to partner with the governments towards enhancing quality health care delivery in Nigeria, despite the persistent provocation from its functionaries.

  • How COVID-19 killed 17 UCH doctors

    How COVID-19 killed 17 UCH doctors

    The President of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan Chapter of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr Temitope Hussein has revealed how 17 doctors were killed by COVID-19 pandemic

    Hussein, who was justifying the association’s reasons for joining the nationwide strike of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, explained that the families of the deceased doctors were yet to benefit from the Death-in-Service Insurance Scheme.

    According to him, the striking doctors were also protesting the non-payment of salaries of some of their members across the country and demanding for an upward review of hazard allowance, among others.

    He decried the agony its members nationwide had been made to pass through for three months now without salaries, despite their uninterrupted service delivery to the nation.

    Hussein said in spite of the three-month window given to the Federal Government to review the hazard allowance of health workers, the hazard allowance had remained at a paltry sum of five thousand naira monthly.

    He explained that the strike came on the heels of the expiration of the 60-day ultimatum given to the Federal Government on Jan. 25.

  • JUST IN: Gunmen kidnap three doctors in Kwara

    JUST IN: Gunmen kidnap three doctors in Kwara

    Gunmen have abducted three veterinary doctors at their commercial poultry farms in Pampo village of Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State.

    Speaking with newsmen on the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ajayi Okasanmi said the incident happened around the Eyenkonrin area.

    While noting that the police operatives were on the trail of the kidnappers, Okasanmi said one of the three kidnapped doctors who escaped alerted the police.

    On whether the kidnappers were dressed in military uniforms, the police spokesperson said that does not matter.

    He also assured that the remaining two victims will soon regain freedom.

    Okasanmi however could not confirm if the abductors have made contact with the families of the two victims.

  • Resident doctors threaten fresh nationwide strike

    Resident doctors threaten fresh nationwide strike

    The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has threatened to go on strike over the failure of the Federal Government to address their demands and implement the agreements reached with the association since last year.

    In a communique issued on Tuesday and signed by NARD President, Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, after a virtual National Executive Meeting, the association resolved to proceed on a recess after their if their demands are not acceded to by the government.

    Among their demands include the immediate payment of the salaries of members, the payment of all minimum wage and other salary arrears to its members nationwide without further delay and the immediate implementation of 50% of consolidated basic Salary as Hazard allowance for all healthcare workers.

    Others are the immediate payment of the Medical Residency Fund for 2021 with the arrears of 2019 and 2020 inclusive, that all training institutions be directed to stop the collection of Bench Fee from its members since it was not captured in the Residency Training Fund as approved, and that all clinical health workers be considered for COVID-19 vaccination and other issues affecting efficient health care delivery in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic including adequate provision of PPEs be addressed.

    The association warned that should the Federal Government fail to implement the demands, its members would have no choice but to proceed on indefinite strike pending when the demands are met.

  • Ondo doctors begin indefinite strike

    Ondo doctors begin indefinite strike

    Doctors working with Ondo State government, under the aegis of Ondo State Government Doctors’ Forum, on Monday, began an indefinite strike.

    The Spokesperson for the forum, Dr Olubosede Omolayo, at a press conference on Tuesday in Akure, said that the strike had become imperative, following the payment of 50 percent of members’ salaries by government in November 2020.

    The forum consists of Association of Resident Doctors, UNIMED THC, Nigeria Association of General Medical Forum and Dental Practitioners as well as Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria.

    She said that the decision to embark on strike was taken after a meeting with members of the various associations.
    Omolayo said it was unfortunate and insensitive for the state government to do such, despite owing four months’ salary, coupled with poor infrastructure in the hospitals and poor welfare packages for its members.

    “After extensive deliberations, we have decided to withdraw our services at government hospitals. Many of our members have been infected with COVID-19; some have even died from the disease, while others got their family members infected and later died.

    “We are over-stretched and we cannot continue working under this condition again. It’s even so bad that our COVID-19 allowances have not yet been paid,” she said.

    Omolayo said letters had been sent to the governor and other relevant arms of government to explain the payment of 50 percent salary to members, but with no response.

    She said that the forum was not part of the organised labour that agreed to the 50 percent salary payment with government, saying that it was a professional body and should be treated as such.

    Omolayo, however, called on government to ensure payment of all outstanding arrears being owed its members, insisting that it was impossible for doctors to survive on half salaries.

  • Lekki Shooting: Doctor confirms pellets were removed from #EndSARS patients on October 20

    Lekki Shooting: Doctor confirms pellets were removed from #EndSARS patients on October 20

    A trauma and orthopaedic doctor on Saturday said pellets were removed from some patients who presented themselves for treatment at Reddington Hospital on the night of October 20.

    Officials of the Nigerian military opened fire on protesters calling for an end to police brutality at the Lekki toll gate plaza on October 20.

    However, while the Nigerian government and military have denied any wrongdoing, the number of casualties recorded at the toll gate that night remains unknown.

    Testifying before the Lagos State Judicial Panel, Babajide Lawson said the medical protocols to be followed in such circumstances is for the police to be invited and for the pellets to be handed over to them.

    The doctor, who said he did not personally extract any bullet, also testified that the hospital saw a large number of patients on the night that soldiers opened fire on protesters at the Lekki toll gate plaza.

    Under cross-examination, Babajide admitted that there is a likelihood that the hospital did not capture the records of all the patients who presented themselves.

  • 70 per cent of doctors infected with COVID-19, NARD raises alarm

    70 per cent of doctors infected with COVID-19, NARD raises alarm

    The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Sunday raised the alarm that almost 70 per cent of its members in “clinical practice” had contracted COVID-19.

    The association blamed the development on lack of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for its members and non-disclosure of true symptoms of sickness by people seeking treatment.

    To show how bad the situation is, NARD lamented that “almost all the doctors in the UCH Pediatrics Department, Lafia in Nasarawa State, had been infected with COVID-19.”

    The association called on the government to come up with policies that would make it unlawful for patients to hide their medical conditions.

    NARD’s First Vice President, Dr Adejo Arome, stated this at the weekend.

    Also at the weekend the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) named Edo as the state with second-highest number of COVID-19 deaths in the country.

    Arome, featuring on a television programme painted a sordid picture of the challenges facing doctors in this pandemic era.

    He said he had been personally exposed to COVID-19 but could not be tested due to lack access to a testing facility.

    Arome who, also lamented that some hospitals do not only lack hand gloves, they give one face mask to each of their doctors to use for two days.

    The NARD First Vice-President said: “I must tell you that the morale of doctors is very low at this point in time. It is so disheartening that the number of health workers being infected with COVID-19 is increasing daily, and it seems that nothing is being done to reduce this number.

    “Apart from that, I just heard that almost all the doctors in UCH pediatric department, Lafia, have been infected. And it is like that every day.

    “In fact, right now, I believe that every doctor in clinical practice right now should have been exposed to covid-19. I was on treatment, although I did not have the test done because I could not have access to the test.

    “Almost every doctor in clinical practice has been exposed and I can tell you that more than 70 percent of us have been infected because we don’t do tests, so we don’t know. You cannot just come and tell me that the rate of infection is low when we are not doing enough tests.

    “Apart from PPE, patients do not come out truthfully to tell us their symptoms because almost everybody now knows what the symptoms of COVID-19 are.

    “I think it is high time the Federal Government stepped up and brought out policies that will make it unlawful for patients and their relatives to come to the hospital and lie to doctors because by so doing, they are currently exposing us and our families.

    “And to think of it, we have no insurance, and our hazard allowance is just mere N5,000. This is pathetic and very sad.

    “In a pandemic, every patient coming into your consulting room is suspected to have COVID-19 until proven otherwise. But the truth is when we don’t have everything that we need to work with, you don’t expect the doctor that is treating the patients not to examine them.

    “You will go to some hospitals and they will give a doctor one face mask for two days. You don’t even have gloves. You keep on writing prescriptions for patients to buy gloves and you as a doctor will feel bad because some people don’t even have food to eat, so why should you be writing them prescriptions to be buying gloves?

    “Based on human sympathy, at the end of the day you will forget what it takes to keep yourself safe and by so doing, you end up exposing yourself.

    “Once one of us gets exposed, that person ends up exposing more than 4,000 patients because the doctor-patient ratio in this country is one to about 4,000 patients.”

    The weekly epidemiological report of COVID-19 situation by the NCDC shows that Edo State recorded 127( 8.9 per cent) deaths out the 1,435 so far in the country.

    Lagos has the highest number of 271 (18.9 per cent), while the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has 118 (8.2 per cent).

  • Two more Abuja doctors die of COVID-19

    Two more Abuja doctors die of COVID-19

    Two more doctors have died of the coronavirus disease in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday.

    According to the statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Mr Anthony Ogunleye, the FCTA said a female doctor with the Gwarimpa General hospital, passed on two weeks ago while a private medical doctor died last week.

    Following the recent developments, the known number of medical doctors that have succumbed to COVID-19 in the FCT now stands at four since the outbreak of the virus in March.

    “Since the first case of COVID-19 was recorded in the FCT on March 27th, 2020, a total of 4 doctors working in both public and private hospitals have regrettably succumbed to the disease,” the statement partly read.

    “The latest, being a female doctor from Gwarimpa General hospital, who passed on two weeks ago and a private medical doctor over the last one week.”

    The statement was in reaction to a report credited to the Chairman of the FCT chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association, Dr Enema Amodu, that FCTA hospitals were currently rendering skeletal services due to the death of 20 medical doctors from COVID-19.

    While making reference to the acting Secretary of the Health and Human Services Secretariat of the FCTA, Dr Mohammed Kawu, Ogunleye said all FCTA hospitals were operating at full capacity, inclusive of emergencies for adults and children, delivery and maternity services, theatre services, laboratory and pharmaceutical services, and hospital kitchens.

    “All FCTA hospitals are operating at full capacity inclusive of emergencies for adults and children, delivery and maternity services, theatre services (operating 24 hour services), laboratory and pharmaceutical services, and hospital kitchens. All clinics will resume full services after the Christmas holidays on Tuesday, 29th of December, 2020.

    “While there had been incidences where COVID-19 positive patients had infected some medical personnel, these personnel and indeed the patients have been treated and discharged and the affected hospital areas fully decontaminated without any adverse effect on the overall functionality of the hospitals.

    “According to records available to the FCTA, since the first case of COVID-19 was recorded in the FCT on March 27th 2020, a total of 4 doctors working in both public and private hospitals have regrettably succumbed to the disease.

    “The latest, being a female doctor from Gwarimpa General hospital, who passed on two weeks ago and a private medical doctor over the last one week,” he added.

  • COVID-19: Buhari reacts to death of 20 doctors

    COVID-19: Buhari reacts to death of 20 doctors

    President Muhammadu Buhari has saluted the sacrifices of the doctors who were killed by COVID-19 in parts of the country.

    In a statement on Saturday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, President Buhari gave an assurance that the welfare of doctors and other health workers would be a priority for his administration.

    He also sent his condolence to the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) over the death of the doctors due to the pandemic, noting that the sacrifices made by the frontline medical workers were appreciated.

    “The death of our frontline health workers in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic is particularly sad because these professionals risk their own lives in order to save others,” the President was quoted as saying.

    He added, “Our health workers are making maximum sacrifices for the country in line with their humanitarian calling, and this administration will leave no stone unturned in order to ensure their needs are met.

    According to the President, the health workers are operating under severe limitations, but they are undeterred in discharging their duties in saving lives.

    “Let me say without any fear of contradiction that no reward is too much for the sacrifices of our health workers in the country, and this administration will give their welfare the priority it deserves,” he stated.

    President Buhari also mourned the Galadiman Lokoja, Godwin Ajakpo, as well as the Chairman of Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga, a former military Governor.

    His remarks were in reaction to the comments of the NMA Chairman in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Dr Enema Amodu, that no fewer than 20 medical doctors died of COVID-19 in the last one week across the country.

    Addressing a press briefing in Abuja on Christmas Day, he noted that the late medical doctors contracted the disease in the course of treating infected patients who failed to disclose their true health status.