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Tag: National Association of Resident Doctors

  • Sacked Doctors: NARD withdraws court case against JUTH

    Urges members to put patients first

     

    The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has withdrawn the suit filed against the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).

    The association opted for out of court settlement over unjustly sacked Resident Doctors in JUTH.

    The Resident Doctors had earlier issued 21 days ultimatum to the Federal Government to reinstate it members sacked in JUTH, while effecting other agreements been made with them.

    In a communique issued at the end of its extra ordinary council meeting held at the National Hospital Abuja at the weekend, jointly signed by its President, Dr. Ugochukwu Chinaka, Secretary General, Dr. Osinachukwu Nnadi and Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr. Ugochukwu A. Eze, the association urged its members to put patients first.

    According to the communique, “NARD NEC having deeply considered the plight of their patients and the need to protect the country’s health sector, resolved to shelve all actions capable of hampering industrial harmony in the Health Sector.

    Read Also: NARD violates Trade Dispute Act – Ngige

    “NARD believes that the Federal Government of Nigeria would meet all our outstanding agreement as contained in the 06/09/2017 Memorandum of Terms of Settlement (MOTOS) between Government, NARD and NMA and also sort out all our outstanding welfare issues in the shortest possible time.” It said.

    The association said that, as part of its resolutions, NARD National Executive Committee unanimously requested President Muhammadu Buhari to use his good office to graciously assent to the RTP Act in order to lay to rest all the contentious issues affecting Resident Doctors in Nigeria.

    It recalled that “as believers in advocacy and constructive engagement, the NARD leadership has gone about their negotiations diligently, and they will be exploring all avenues necessary in resolving disputes, particularly having at the back of their minds, the centrality and importance of the patient in all of these social and health equations.”

    NARD however enjoined all its members to continue to work assiduously towards uplifting the image of the Health Sector, while urging them as well to be more committed to patient management.

    “NARD also urges all members to embrace other Health Workers as they return to work because we are partners in progress and extend a warm hand of fellowship so we move together in one purposeful direction-Quality Patient Management, ” it advised.

  • Residents Doctors raise concern over persistent Lassa threat

    The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has raised concerns about the persistent threat of Lassa Fever in the country.

    This was expressed in a communiqué issued at the end of its 38th Ordinary General Meeting (OGM), held at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria between May 6 to 11, 2018.

    According to the communiqué jointly signed by its President, Dr. Ugochukwu Chinaka, Secretary General, Dr. Osinachukwu V. Nnadi and Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr. Ugochukwu Eze,  NARD also  rejected pay parity between Doctors and Allied Professionals as this would erode relativity and distort emolument hierarchy in the Health sector.

    “The consequence would not be good for the Health sector. Relativity is sacrosanct,” it explained.

    The group raised concerns about the  continuous threat posed by Lassa fever and other infectious diseases in parts of the Country with its associated risk and  death of Health workers.

    NARD still called on Government to setup Regional Infectious disease centers of Excellence across the country to ease the pressure at ISTH, Irrua and to stem the needless loss of lives to Lassa fever.

    NARD appreciates the recent scale of surveillance at the Country’s land borders and airports. This has helped curb the threat of Ebola Virus, regulate and report entry of suspected infectious individuals and prevent the spread of the deadly disease in Nigeria.

    “The recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and response by the Federal Government of Nigeria,” it noted.

    It enjoins all Healthcare workers at all times to imbibe Universal Health precautions and best hygiene practices such as regular handwashing and maintaining personal and environmental cleanliness.

    “NARD again demands Comprehensive Life Insurance for all Healthcare Workers in Nigeria.

    NARD reiterates that security is a right of all Nigerians and demands Government to provide Security for all irrespective of location,” it stated.

    NARD also frowned at the non payment of outstanding salaries to its members at various health centres across the country.

    “NARD frowns at the fact that salaries of our Members at various Federal Health Institutions are still being withheld by earlier mentioned Hospital Management and call on all responsible to urgently pay all outstanding Salaries to our diligent and hardworking Members,” it stated.

    It explained that the ongoing advocacy with the Board of Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) is welcomed, but NARD wants Government to impress on the JUTH Board and Management to reinstate all unjustly sacked Resident Doctors in JUTH immediately.

    Delegates resolved to extend the ultimatum by 21 days, starting from Monday 14th May 2018. This extension is to avail Government time to reinstate our sacked Members in JUTH with full benefits and also meet outstanding agreement contained in the above stated MOTOS, after which NARD may not guarantee industrial Harmony.

  • Strike: FG cautions JOHESU members

    The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has cautioned that striking Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) have no constitutional right to harass other health workers not on strike or lock government facilities.

    The minister gave the caution in a statement issued by Mr Oshundun Olajide, Deputy Director, Media and Public Relations of the ministry, on Tuesday in Abuja.

    Olajide said the minister said this while reacting to a news briefing by the President, National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr Ugochukwu Chinaka.

    He noted that the resident doctors accused JOHESU members of harassing and molesting members of NARD and other medical officers at their respective duty posts.

    According to the statement, the minister was also informed that JOHESU members were accused of locking-up government health facilities to prevent access to those who are not on strike.

    Olajide also quoted the minister as saying that the federal government would not accept nor condone any act of irresponsibility and disobedience to constituted authorities.

    The minister also directed that all locked health facilities should be re-opened immediately to enable them provide required services while negotiation continues.

    It added that Adewole re-iterated that all heads of medical institutions should urgently provide adequate security for the working members of staff.

    It warned that any person found disturbing the peace in any health facility should be made to face the law.

    Recalls that the First Vice President of NARD, Dr Ganiyu Ahmed, had earlier accused JOHESU members of becoming increasingly aggressive towards other health professional particularly doctors, who are not on strike.

    Ahmed told newsmen on April 28 that JOHESU members at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Awka, manhandled a resident doctor on duty.

  • Resident Doctors demand equal pay across board

    Resident Doctors demand equal pay across board

    The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) is canvassing equal remuneration and welfare package for Medical Doctors employed in federal and state-owned hospitals.

    The Association said that it was prepared to use all available means to ensure that doctors in the services of state government get the same treatment as others in federal service.

    The newly elected National President of NARD, Dr. Ugochukwu Chinaka who disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja, said the association believes in the mantra ‘same doctor, same patient, same treatment’.

    Dr Chinaka then pointed out that there was no basis for doctors employed in state health institutions to be treated less than their counterparts in Federal employment.

    He said they were prepared to use everything within their means to actualise this, including advocacy and engaging those he called relevant stakeholders in a bid to sort out the issue.

    Dr Chinaka said the Association was committed to the implementation of the memorandum of terms of the settlement it recently entered with the federal government, adding that it was prepared to use all legitimate means at her disposal to forestall any breach of the implementation.

    He asked chief executives who were yet to commence implementation of the agreement to eschew any action that will be inimical to the present peace and avoid further escalation of the brewing tension.

    He said that the Association was concerned about the threat posed by communicable diseases such as the recent sporadic outbreak of hello fever and cholera parts of the country and ask Nigerians to maintain a high level of vigilance, inculcate best hygienic practices, while government should support adequate response and control measures.

    It, however, condemned the threat and action of some chief executives especially that of the Jos University Teaching Hospital, National OrthopediHospitalal, Dala, University College Hospital, Ibadan and Federal Medical Centre, Owo, whose activities he said are capable of causing a breakdown in the current stage of understanding in their institutions.

    He also condemn the spate of sack of medical doctors at the federal medical Centre, Owerri and the deplorable state of its members’ welfare at the state universities teaching hospitals in terms of renumeration, sponsorship for training and the casualisation of doctors at LAUTECH teaching hospital, Ogbomosho.

  • Doctors strike: Patients urged to resolve issues

    Doctors strike: Patients urged to resolve issues

    Patients at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa, have appealed to the Federal Government and the striking doctors to employ dialogue as a strategy to the resolves issues to end the strike.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Association of Resident Doctors, (NARD) had on Sept. 4 directed its members nationwide to embark on an indefinite strike to pressurise government to meet its demands.

    The strike notice was signed by Dr John Onyebueze and Dr Aneke Emmanuel, the National President and Secretary of (NARD).

    One of the patients at the hospital, Mr Famous Abba, who came for routine check up, said that government should look into the demands of the resident doctors in the interest of the poor patients.

    “By now, the nation should have gone over the issue of strikes in our health institutions, and other crucial sectors.

    “Government should make the doctors’ welfare a priority to avoid frequent strikes; we all know their importance to the people and the larger society.

    “The clinic routine is not on today because some of the doctors are on strike and this makes the process to be slow causing unnecessary delay for patients,” he said.

    Another patient, Mrs Grace Hector, commended the hospital management and other doctors on ground for managing the patients in spite of the ongoing doctors’ strike.

    “We never believe that this matter can get to this stage though, it is a bit slow as you can see we are still being attended to accordingly.

    “We still want the government to please resolve the issues with the striking doctors so that the services can improve,” she said.

  • Resident doctors commence nationwide strike

    Resident doctors commence nationwide strike

    The last minute effort by the Federal Government to stop resident doctors from embarking on a nationwide strike has failed.

    President of the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, John Onyebueze announced the commencement of the nationwide indefinite strike action early hours of Monday.

    Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige had on Saturday after a meeting with the doctors which was also attended by Minister of Health; Prof. Isaac Adewole hinted that the planned strike had been suspended.

    The doctors however refuted the statement, saying though they met with the government, but were yet to take a decision.

    Ngige, was quoted by Channels Television as saying on Friday that the doctors suspended the strike after a meeting.

    Mr. Ngige said the meeting would continue on November 2.

    The strike action is expected to adversely affect healthcare in public secondary and tertiary hostpitals in the country, particularly the teaching hospitals.

    Onyebueze stated that the doctors rejected the “promissory offer from Government, and proceed on total and indefinite strike action until all items in her demand list for strike action.”

    The resident doctors had earlier threatened to go on strike from September 4, if the federal government does not meet their demands including their immediate enrolment in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS.

    NARD felt that neither the federal nor state governments has shown commitment to the resolution of issues at stake nor honoured previous agreements.

    Consequent upon this, the association resolved to proceed on a total indefinite industrial action from Monday, September 4, 2017, until all these issues are permanently resolved.

  • Resident doctors issue strike notice

    Resident doctors issue strike notice

    The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARDs), has issued a nationwide strike notice effective September 4.

    Dr Olusegun Olaopa, the President of NARDs, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, announced this on Wednesday in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan.

    Olaopa said that the resident doctors would commence an indefinite industrial action on Monday to press home their demands.

    According to him, the action is sequel a statement signed by Drs John Onyebueze and Aneke Emmanuel, National President and Secretary of NARDs, respectively.

    The statement said that it was resolved at the NEC meeting of NARDs held in Abuja on Aug. 26 to embark on the strike.

    “Neither the Federal nor State governments has shown commitment to the resolution of issues at stake nor honoured previous agreements.

    “Consequent upon this, the association resolved to proceed on a total indefinite industrial action from Monday, September 4, 2017, until all these issues are permanently resolved.

    “Nationwide pre-strike protests against this injustice are to hold in all our branches and states of the federation on August 30, 2017.

    “All heads of tertiary health institutions who have received funding for payments to our members should be directed to pay same immediately,” it said.

    NAN reports that the members of NARDs are demanding for the resolution of persistent shortfalls and unpaid arrears of salaries earned in both federal and state tertiary health institutions.

    Other issues are the enrolment of resident doctors into the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS) since 2003, and non-implementation of adjusted House Officers’ Entry grade level equivalent since 2014.

    The resident doctors are also asking for the resolution of issues around their stagnation of promotion and non-promotion of members who have met requisite criteria despite all collective bargaining agreements and circulars.

    NAN recalls that resident doctors in UCH had on Jan. 6, embarked on a one-day protest rally over non-payment of their November and December 2016 salaries.

  • Buhari urges doctors to shelve planned strike

    Buhari urges doctors to shelve planned strike

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday urged the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to shelve its proposed strike and give the Federal Government more time to address the grievances of doctors.

    He made the call at a meeting with the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), at the State House, Abuja.

    Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, gave the doctors an assurance that no agreements duly entered into by the Federal Government will be dishonoured by his administration.

    He called for greater understanding and support from doctors and all Nigerians in view of the present short fall in national revenue brought about by the decline of crude oil prices.

    The President decried the adverse impact of the fall in oil prices on the Federal Government’s spending plans for health and other sectors and said that his administration will continue to do its best to address issues that are of concern to doctors and other Nigerians.

    The President also gave the NMA delegation an insight into his administration’s plan to establish 10,000 primary healthcare centres across the country in the next two years with the objective of providing better healthcare for about 100 million Nigerians.

    He also told the delegation led by NMA President, Dr. Kayode Obembe that the National Health Act will soon be gazetted and a steering committee appointed to oversee its implementation.

    The Minister of Health , Prof. Isaac Adewole described the plan to establish more healthcare centres as “the single most ambitious health plan for the poor in the history of Nigeria”.

    In his remarks at the meeting, Dr. Obembe called for the implementation of the report of the Yayale Ahmed Committee on better relations among  professional groups in the health sector.

    He also called for fast-tracking of the implementation of the National Health Act.

    At a separate meeting with the leadership of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), President Buhari promised that his administration will evolve and implement measures to curb friction and disharmony among the professional groups in the health sector.

    The President urged the PSN to work more closely with the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to curb the sale of fake medicines in the country.

    The President of the PSN, Ahmed Ibrahim  Yakasai assured President Buhari that pharmacists in Nigeria were ready to work in harmony with other professionals in the health sector to help the Federal Government achieve its objective of improving healthcare services in the country.