The management of the National Hospital, Abuja, has firmly denied reports suggesting that it is laying off doctors or any category of its staff, stressing that such claims are entirely unfounded.
The hospital’s response came amid a threat of industrial action by its chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) over the alleged dismissal of three doctors who had been on temporary appointments for the past three years.
The hospital stated categorically that it has neither considered nor initiated any plan to disengage staff, particularly doctors and consultants whose expertise it described as invaluable to both the hospital and the nation.
On the contrary, the hospital said it is currently benefiting from a recent federal government approval to recruit a specific number of doctors and nurses.
According to the management in a statement on Sunday by Maijamaa Adamu, the Head of Information and Protocol Management Department, the recruitment process is being conducted transparently by a panel comprising representatives from relevant ministries and agencies, in line with standard federal government recruitment procedures.
Clarifying what appears to be the source of confusion, the hospital explained that some consultants who have completed their residency training were retained under a temporary working arrangement known as ‘locum’.
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The locum positions, the hospital emphasized, are not full employment contracts but short-term, renewable postings for a period of six months.
The management pointed out that such arrangements do not equate to formal employment, as the hospital lacks the mandate to employ doctors independently without federal authorization.
Adamu recalled that in late 2023, the federal government approved 83 employment slots for the National Hospital, of which 10 were allocated for consultants. In a gesture of goodwill, the hospital management awarded all 10 consultant slots to existing locum doctors who had completed their residency training, demonstrating its commitment to absorbing qualified personnel whenever opportunities arise.
“For the avoidance of doubt, once consultants complete their residency, they are free to seek employment elsewhere if there is no vacancy to absorb them. In such cases, the hospital issues a standard six-month exit notice, in line with practices in other tertiary hospitals,” the hospital explained.
However, the hospital explained that choosing to retain some of these doctors under the locum arrangement is an additional act of magnanimity on the part of management.
The policy, it noted, is mutually beneficial and allows the hospital to continue delivering quality care while supporting young specialists as they transition in their careers.
Nonetheless, it is entirely conditional and subject to the hospital’s operational needs, as there is no binding obligation for permanent employment, Adamu stressed in the statement.
The hospital reaffirmed that its management remains committed to supporting its workforce and delivering quality healthcare services.
It urged the public to disregard misleading narratives and emphasized that staffing decisions are handled with the utmost professionalism and in accordance with federal regulations.
