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  • Resident doctors suspend nationwide industrial action

    Resident doctors suspend nationwide industrial action

    The National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, has called off the nationwide strike it embarked on to press home demands for improved welfare.

    The doctors began the nationwide strike last Monday.

    The doctors had demanded immediate payment of the Medical Residency Training funding to all its members as approved in the revised 2020 budget; provision of genuine Group life insurance and death in service benefits for all health workers, among others.

    But its National President, Dr Aliyu Sokomba said on Thursday that the strike had been called off after reaching agreement with the Federal Government.

    According to him, discussion continued with the Federal Government on Friday on other issues affecting the resident doctors.

    The meeting which led to the suspension of the strike was at the instance of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige where substantial agreements were arrived at.

    The doctors had demanded payment of the outstanding April/May and June COVID-19 inducement allowance to all health workers; determination of the revised hazard allowance for all health workers as agreed in previous meetings with relevant stakeholders and immediate payment of the salary shortfalls of 2014, 2015 and 2016.

    They also wanted doctors working under the various tertiary health institutions to be placed on appropriate salary grade level and universal implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act of 2017 in all state tertiary health institutions and payment of all arrears owed members in Federal and states tertiary health institutions, arising from the consequential adjustment of the National minimum wage.

  • Resident doctors may begin fresh strike on Aug 17

    Resident doctors may begin fresh strike on Aug 17

    The National Association of Resident Doctors has given the Federal Government three weeks to address its demands or its members would recommence their suspended strike on Monday, August 17, 2020.

    While demanding the payment of COVID-19 hazard allowance to members which, it said, was long overdue, NARD called on government and the National Assembly to review the non-enrolment of healthcare workers for the Group Life Insurance and non-payment of death-in-service benefit to the next-of-kin of its fallen heroes, despite claims of payment to insurance companies.

    The President of NARD, Dr Aliyu Sokomba, made this known in Abuja on Saturday while reading to newsmen a communique issued after its virtual National Executive Council meeting and scientific conference held at the Gombe International Hotel between July 20 and 25 2020.

    He said, “NEC resolved to extend the suspension of our strike action by three weeks to give the government time to address our demands, failure of which will leave us with no choice other than to resume the suspended strike on Monday, August 17 2020.”

    But on June 21, NARD announced the suspension of its strike after its NEC meeting attended by over 300 members but, however, said its national officers would continue negotiations with stakeholders while progress made would be reviewed in four weeks during its next NEC meeting in July 2020.

    While suspending the action, NARD said COVID-19 inducement allowance “has only been paid to eleven federal health institutions and most state governments are yet to review the hazard allowance of health workers.”

    Other reasons for the strike were the lack of personal protective equipment to some hospitals; non-provision of medical residency training funding; salary shortfall for 2014-2016; disengagement of resident doctors at the Jos University Teaching Hospital and challenges of its members in LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomosho.

  • BREAKING: Ondo sacks Resident doctors

    The Ondo State Government has approved the termination of Resident doctors at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMETH).

    Their sack was announced in a letter announcing the suspension of the institution residency training programme from August 1st, 2020

    It urged all Resident doctors directly employed by the hospital to seek continuation of their programme in other institutions where there are ongoing training program.

    The sacking of the Resident doctors might not be unconnected to the last week’s strike action recently embarked upon by the doctors.

    Spokesman of the Ondo ARD, Taiwo Olagbe, listed their demands to include provision of PPE and other security measures to save their members from COVID-19, payment of outstanding arrears from September 2019 to May 2020, payment of 50 percent COVID-19 allowance amongst others.

    The letter announcing suspension of the residency programme dated June 23 and signed by Director of Administration of UNIMETH, Adeeyo Babatunde, said it was to allow the hospital focused on service delivery in order to combat COVID-19 outbreak without distraction of agitation from the Resident Doctors.

    The letter said some Resident doctors might be considered for re-admission when the programme recommenced.

    Chief Medical Director of UNIMEDTH, Dr. Oluwole Ige, blasted the Residents doctors saying they were more interested in unionism than commitment to work.

    Dr. Ige said the Residents doctors were the most disruptive group to the growth of the hospital despite earning the best pay package among other group of doctors in the hospital.

    He spoke at the commissioning of the first dialysis centre in Akure, the State capital built by Lions Club International, District 404A1.

    Dr. Ige stated that the good things happening at the hospital were being overshadowed by the constant agitation of the Resident doctors.

    According to him, “The Resident doctors earn the best pay pay package among the four group of doctors in the hospital with additional benefit of training and advancing to be consultant. That have been the most disruptive group to the growth of the hospital.

    “They have exaggerated and deliberately distorted the issues of their wage to the extent of putting the hospital management and government into disrepute.

    “The training programme might be suspended until such a time that it will be conducive to train without rancour.”

    Dr.Ige stated the cost of dialysis in the centre was the cheapest in the region and as such the common man would not need travel outside Akure for renal treatment.

    District Governor of Lions Clubs, Adekunle Adedipe, said the renal centre was built with funding from the Lions Club International Foundation (LCIF) and the Ondo State Government.

    Adedipe said they opted to build the dialysis centre after carrying out needs assessment in various communities and discovered that Akure lacked functional dialysis centre despite rise in renal ailments.

    He stated that further findings revealed that renal patients in critical conditions were ferried to Ondo town or Owo for treatment.

    He said the LCIF provided take-off grant of $106,533 and supported with N10m from the Ondo State Government.

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu who commissioned dialysis centre disclosed that the centre would be run by a private consortium for effective service delivery.

    Akeredolu stated that Adedipe was committed to donating a life saving project to the state during his one year stay as District Governor.

    He said the state hospital would soon commence renal transplant.

    Dr. Olagbe described their sacking as a joke that cannot hold any water and could crumble health sector in the state.

    Olagbe said comments from the CMD were regrettable and unfortunate stating that their agitations were genuine because of non-payment of salários and arrears.

    He said plans were on to slash their salaries from June.

  • Why we called off strike – Resident doctors

    …FG carpets resident doctors, says strike needless

    The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Sunday suspended its indefinite strike which started on June 15, following a meeting between the association and Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in Abuja.

    NARD President, Dr Aliyu Sokomba, who announced this while addressing a news conference in Abuja, said “NEC has resolved to suspend the ongoing indefinite strike with effect from Monday June 22, 2020 by 8a.m. prompt.

    “The national officers shall continue negotiations with stakeholders and progress made shall be reviewed in four weeks during the next National Executive Council meeting in July 2020.

    “The decision to suspend the strike was taken in order to give the Federal and State Governments time to fulfill the outstanding demands following an appeal by the Speaker of House of Representative, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chairman Nigeria Governors Forum and other stakeholder”.

    He acknowledged the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) in some hospitals but said there were still need for sustained supplies.

    The president also announced that the Medical Residency Training fund had been included in the revised 2020 budget through the intervention of Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and would be implemented as soon as the budget was assented to by the President.

    He, however, gave the Federal Government four weeks to make good its promises.

    “At the same time, we await the fulfillment of the promise made by the Nigeria Governors Forum to ensure same is done in all the states.

    “On the salary shortfall for 2014-2016, The Secretary to the Government of the federation has promised to intervene.

    “Government has shown commitment to secure group life insurance for health workers. That the disengaged resident doctors at Jos University Teaching Hospital have been reinstated, the Chief Medical Director has been directed to pay their withheld salaries and comply with the provisions of the Medical Residency.

    “On State Tertiary Health Institutions (STHIs), the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum Gov. Kayode Fayemi and the Director General Mr Asishana Okauru, appealed to be given time to discuss with other state Governors of Kogi, Gombe, Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, kaduna, Nasarawa , Enugu, Anabara, Abia and Imo for immediate pay parity with the corrected CONMESS of 2019 and that salary shortfalls due our members will be paid shortly.

    “NARD also met with Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo state who also gave his words to favourably look into all challenges of our members in LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso with a view to abiding by the international standard.

    “That the Executive Governors of Delta and Benue from reports by our members have been supportive although more needs to be done.

    “NEC observed that COVID-19 inducement allowance has only been paid to 11 federal health institutions and most state governments are yet to review the hazard allowance of health workers,” he said.

    FG carpets Resident Doctors, says strike needless

    Meanwhile, the federal government has said the strike by the NARD was “needless and insensitive” because issues raised by the association had received attention.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed made this known at a media briefing on Sunday in Abuja.

    The briefing was jointly addressed by Mohammed and Ministers of Health,Mr Osagie Ehanire, Labour and Employment, Mr Chris Ngige.

    Mohammed noted that the strike embarked upon by the Doctors since June 12 was uncalled for, considering the facts the government had responded to their needs and requests.

    “It is pertinent to say that the issues raised by the association while issuing its ultimatum on June 1, have received or are receiving full attention,” he said

    Specifically, the minister said that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) have been supplied to all States and Federal Tertiary Hospitals and funds for the same were being provided in the revised 2020 budget.

    He said the implementation of the Residency Training programme was backed by the National Assembly, which provided ₦4 billion in the revised 2020 budget.

    “We have paid N9 billion as premium for Group Life Insurance to all our health workers and over N4.6 billion as Special Hazard Allowance to health workers as already acknowledged in at least 35 hospitals.

    “In summary, a total of 55,031 health workers have been paid comprising of 23 COVID-19 designated Hospitals and Medical Centres and 8 non-COVID-19 designated centres amounting to over N7.9 billion,” he said

    He added that other matters relating to non-payment of arrears dating back as 2014 or salaries owed by State Governments, were either in court, or beyond the power of the Federal Ministry of Health to resolve.

    On addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, the minister said apart from the provision of PPEs and other equipment, the federal government expanded testing laboratories from two to 38.

    He said government have trained over 13,000 health workers on Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) as well as developed policy and protocols for testing returning Nigerians.

    Mohammed said government has evolved policies and protocols for integration of primary healthcare into national response and increased isolation centre bed space from 3,000 to more than 5,000 nationwide.

    The minister expressed concerns that the doctors still opted for the strike ins pite of addressing all issues raised and negotiations facilitated by the National Assembly.

    “We must express the government’s consternation that resident doctors will choose a time like this, when we are battling a pandemic, to embark on a strike.

    “This negates what obtains in other parts of the world, where health workers are rallying around their governments to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “Nigeria must be among, if not the only nation, where doctors – who are classified as essential workers – have opted for a strike during a national health emergency,” he said

    Mohammed noted that, though many options were opened to the federal government in tackling the strike, yet it chose negotiation over confrontation.

    On his part, Ngige said it was a dire time for any sector, particularly the heath sector to embark on strike.

    He re-echoed that all issues raised by the Doctors had been met by the Government and they should have trust in the Federal Ministry of Health.

    The minister disclosed that the leadership of NARD contacted him by midnight and hinted on the suspension of the strike.

    Speaking in the same vein, Ehanire said it was not time for acrimony and all hands must be on deck for the country to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic and salvage the health sector.

  • BREAKING: Resident doctors call off nationwide strike

    The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended the nationwide strike with effect from Monday 22, June 2020.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports NARD announced the suspension on Sunday in Abuja after a meeting by its National Executive Council meeting.

    According to NARD’s President, Dr. Aliyu Sokomba, the association took the decision in order to allow the government time to fulfill outstanding demands.

     

    Details shortly…

  • BREAKING: UCH Resident Doctors’ President tests positive for Coronavirus

    BREAKING: UCH Resident Doctors’ President tests positive for Coronavirus

    The President of Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, Dr Adedayo Williams, has tested positive for Coronavirus.

    Williams disclosed this in a WhatsApp message he sent to his colleagues and obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday.

    ‌The UCH spokesperson, Mr Toye Akinrinlola, also confirmed the news.

    “Good afternoon, dear colleagues and friends.

    “Having been on the field caring for others, I thought it wise to subject myself to a voluntary screening for COVID-19.

    “The result turned out to be positive on Saturday evening, April 18.

    “I presently do not have any symptom and I am currently on self isolation, awaiting a repeat test.

    “I implore everyone I have had contact with recently to immediately go on self-isolation pending the time they will be tested.

    “Those concerned should also properly inform their Heads of Department.

    “I strongly advise every healthcare worker to always take precautionary measures as COVID-19 is real and spreads fast, even though some persons infected are asymptomatic.

    “Please stay safe always. Thank you,” Williams said in his message.

    UCH had in March suspended part of its outpatient services to reduce the risk of Coronavirus epidemic within the hospital community.

  • Strike: FCTA threatens resident doctors of mass sack

    Strike: FCTA threatens resident doctors of mass sack

    The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Thursday in Abuja, issued a 24-hour ultimatum to striking resident doctors to resume work or face mass sack.

    The FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, who issued the ultimatum at a news conference, explained that the decision was reached after an emergency meeting of top management staff of the FCTA.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that members of the Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA) chapter embarked on an indefinite strike over non-payment of salaries.

    Aliyu also said that the measure became imperative to ensure that the FCT residents do not suffer as a result of the strike by the resident doctors.

    She said the FCT administration noted with dismay, the continued strike embarked upon by the resident doctors, over irregularities in their salaries for the month of January and February 2020.

    ” Despite entreaties that the problem was not peculiar to the doctors, but affecting all staff of the FCTA; and efforts made by the office of the FCT Minister of State, with the Accountant General of the Federation, and an appeal to call off the strike, the doctors are yet to resume work.

    ” In the meantime, the administration has given the striking doctors 24 hours to resume work, after which they should consider themselves as having exited the FCT administration,” she said.

    Aliyu, however, expressed the appreciation of the FCT administration for the commitment and dedication to duty of the Medical and Dental Association of Nigeria, nurses and midwives, medical laboratory technologists, pharmacists and other medical and health workers, who remained true to their calling by putting social needs above self.

  • Resident doctors commence indefinite strike

    Resident doctors commence indefinite strike

    Resident doctors at the University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospitals, Akure in Ondo State, embarked on an indefinite strike over unpaid salaries.

    The angry doctors gathered at the hospital complex, displaying placards with various inscriptions showing their grievances.

    Some of the inscriptions read: “We are asking for what we have worked for”, “a hungry doctor is a danger to the society”, ” our salary is our right, not a gift”, “pls pay our arrears”, “Arakunrin Akeredolu does not owe salary, why is UNIMEDTHC different? ”

    Speaking to newsmen, Dr Taiwo Olagbe, the Chairman, Media Committee, Association of Resident Doctors, UNIMEDTHC, said that the doctors were being owed three to six months’ salaries, depending on when they joined the service of the hospital.

    Olagbe explained that after the association had made several pleas to the management to no avail; it staged a protest to the Governor’s Office on December 23, 2019.

    He, however, regretted that all promises made by the duo of Dr. Jibayo Adeyeye, the Special Adviser to Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on Health Matters, and the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ifedayo Abegunde, were not fulfilled.

    He alleged that the hospital management was carrying out a divide and rule strategy as the “management selected 33 out of over 150 doctors in Akure and Ondo complexes of the hospital and paid them one month salary, while the rest have nothing to give to their families for the Yuletide.”

    The spokesman said that before they could return to the wards, all arrears and backlog of salaries should be cleared with immediate effect, NAN reports.

    “Issue of our welfare should be addressed and concrete action taken; that our wages and remuneration be paid directly into our accounts, we don’t want intermediary; that our strike has commenced, and it is total and indefinite till all our agitations are resolved.

    “We are against any form of victimization during and after the strike, if any of such happens, we will not hesitate to call out our members again,” he said.

    The doctors, however, appealed to Akeredolu and all well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on the management of the teaching hospital to pay their salaries.

    Responding, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro, gave the assurance that the doctors would begin to receive credit alert, starting from Monday.

  • Strike: Gbajabiamila brokers truce between FG, resident doctors

    From Jonas Ike, Abuja
    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has brokered a truce between the Federal Government and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), which saw the association extending the suspension of its planned strike action.
    The Speaker had last week through a member of the House appealed to the resident doctors to suspend the strike action, pending a meeting involving him, members of the association and officials of relevant government agencies.
    At the meeting held on Monday, July 29, 2019, at the National Assembly, Abuja, the Speaker was able to convince both the association and officials of the Federal Ministry of Health to reach an agreement on how to settle the matter.
    The President of NARD, Dr. Olusegun Olaopa, had explained to the Speaker and other principal officers of the House, including Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase, that they had three major grievances against the Federal Government.
    The three grievances, he said, had to do with their salary arrears, skipped salary of N23.6bn and irregularities in the implementation of the Resident Doctors’ Act.
    However, Speaker Gbajabiamila was able to get a commitment from both the Federal Ministries of Finance and Health that the salary arrears would be ready for payment in the next three weeks.
    While commiserating with the association for losing one of its members in the process of struggling to resolve the issues, Speaker Gbajabiamila said: “Let me thank you for according this House and this institution the respect of putting your strike on hold.
    “I want to assure you that the respect is mutual. We are here for you; we are here to protect you, and in doing that, we also protect our constituents. When you talk about essential services, the most important is health services, because you save lives. So, we know the consequences of your going on strike. Since we all know the consequences, we should be serious about the issue.
    “Ours is to appeal to you using the instrumentality of this House. The issue of your N3.5bn. I can almost assure you that that will be resolved next month. There’s already machinery in motion to ensure that it is paid by next month.
    “In the presence of everyone here, finance (ministry) is committing three weeks and you’ll get your pay. As a house, we’ll make sure we follow through. So, for the sake of lives, on that particular one, I beg you to tarry a while,” he said.
    On the Resident Doctors’ Act, the Speaker said the House would do everything within its powers to ensure that the House Committee on Health provided effective oversight to the relevant agencies.
    The Speaker also assured that the House would ensure the inclusion of the N23.6bn skipped salary due to the doctors in the 2020 budget, which is yet to be presented to the National Assembly.
    “We’re going to put our reputation on the line and try to see how we can get the Executive to bring whatever is agreeable and due to them (NARD) into the budget. On our part, we will make sure that whatever is due to you forms part of the 2020 budget.
    “But I’m asking now that you should exercise some little patience to see what we can do on our own so that we can arrest this issue. For the sake of people out there, let’s hold on.‎ Once the N3.5bn is paid, you can take it from there that the 2020 budget will have the N23.6bn.”
    Responding, the NARD President, Dr Olaopa said the association would wait for the three weeks, saying “We assure you that we will keep our part of the agreement.”
    The meeting, which lasted for close to two hours, had in attendance the Deputy Speaker Rt. Hon. Ahmed Idris Wase; House Leader, Alhassan Ado Doguwa; Deputy Chief Whip, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha and other members of the House.
    There were also officials from the Federal Ministries of Finance and Health, the Director-General, Budget Office, Ben Akabueze, members of NARD and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), among others.

  • Why we can’t pay resident doctors – LUTH

    …as doctors embark on strike

    As resident doctors at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos, on Thursday embarked on an indefinite strike, the hospital management said shortfall in its allocation led to nonpayment of the doctors’ salaries.

    LUTH Public Relations Officer, Mr. Kelechi Otunme, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos while reacting to the doctors’ strike which commenced on Thursday.

    NAN reports that ARD President, Dr. Adewale Oba, had, on Wednesday, said the doctors would down tools following the refusal of the management to pay the outstanding three months’ salaries of resident doctors.

    Oba said: “It is unfortunate that we had another meeting on Wednesday where we resolved to embark on an indefinite strike, commencing on November 29.

    “We want to appeal to the general public, most especially the influential members of the public, to prevail on the management to quickly avert the industrial action.’’

    Oba, however, said that all members of the association fully complied with the association’s strike directive.

    Otunme said that the three-month outstanding salaries of the resident doctors followed the insufficient allocation earmarked for personnel in the institution’s annual budget.

    According to him, LUTH management has engaged the Ministry of Finance and other appropriate ministries to correct this shortfall and efforts have reached an advanced stage to resolve it.

    “The management will continue to dialogue with them (resident doctors) and other affected doctors in the hospital to resolve this issue.

    “The hospital’s doors remained open for service while discussions and negotiations continue and there may be delay pending the return of the affected workers to work,” he said.

    NAN reports that in spite of the indefinite strike embarked upon by ARD members, essential medical services were uninterrupted on Thursday at LUTH.

    NAN Correspondent’s visit to the hospital showed that consultants and other categories of health workers, including nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians and cleaners were seen attending to the patients.