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Tag: Ugochukwu Chinaka

  • 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.

  • FG warns JOHESU against harassing doctors, others

    The Federal Government has warned members of the striking Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) against harassing doctors and other health workers.

    The ongoing JOHESU strike action which has entered its fourth week now has been compounded with the recent directive to state and local council to join the strike action.

    In a statement on Tuesday, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole also stated that the union does not have the right to lock up government health facilities.

    The statement which was signed by Mr. Olajide Oshundun, Assistant Director, Media and Publicity also directed heads of medical institutions to provide adequate security for working members.

    Read Also: JOHESU strike: NMA decries attacks on doctors, patients

    The statement reads: “In as much as members of JOHESU have the right to embark on strike, they do not have the constitutional right to harass other health workers including members of JOHESU who choosed to work and

    “JOHESU members DO NOT have right to lock-up government facilities.

    “The Federal government would not accept nor condone any act of irresponsibility and disobedience to constituted authorities, adding that all locked health facilities should be opened immediately to enable the facilities provide required services while negotiation continues.

    “The Honorable Minister further re-iterates that all Heads of medical institutions should as a matter of urgency provide adequate security for the working members of staff and any person found disturbing the peace in any health facility should be made to face the law.”

    Only recently, the President of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr. Ugochukwu Chinaka, had accused members of JOHESU of harassing and molesting members of NARD and other medical officers at their respective duty posts.

    JOHESU members were also accused of locking- up government health facilities to prevent access to those who are not on strike.

  • 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.