The Federal Government, weekend, defended its decision to sack 16,000 resident doctors across the country, saying the move was to allow the government appraise the training programme, even as the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Lagos State Branch, dismissed the action describing it as ‘ a huge joke.’
Meanwhile, the Chairman House Committee on Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa has said the sack of the resident doctors by the Federal Government was ‘highly questionable’ on several fronts.
Reacting to the sack at a press conference in Lagos, the Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu said there had been problems with the training which also informed the ongoing doctors’ strike.
‘’The suspension is with all Federal Government hospitals, State Teaching Hospitals are not affected.
‘’The government suspended the training to allow for critical investigation and come up with better ways to improve the training, ‘’he said.
He further alleged that the doctors have not been participating in the management of Ebola and that they would not be missed.
“We just feel that we needed the space, to take a look and make it better so that we can get the best from the programme. It is not a permanent thing; it is just to allow us to appraise. But of course if you close a programme in a university, you cannot keep the students idle. They either go for another course meanwhile or they wait indefinitely. After that, we will restart the programme.
“We keep forgetting that no doctor has been stopped from working. Some of them may want to volunteer for this Ebola response. If any of them volunteers I would recommend them to the President. That is my job as the Minister of Health. In a university when you temporarily suspend a programme, why must you keep the students?” he explained.
The Secretary, Lagos NMA, Dr. Babajide Saheed, warned that the sacking of resident doctors would increase mortality and morbidity rates and worsen health indices in the country. Click to signup for FREE news updates, latest information and hottest gists everyday
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The doctors are taking too much self.Their Shakara too much even as they receive tax payers money for services that in many cases are not rendered. By the way is it by force to work for government? Anybody or doctor not satisfied should resign which is the standard practice in civilized clime.Now they are playing politics going to nocturnal meeting and have all turned activists. Since they are so highly experienced and have special skills they should simply go to Europe ,America or elsewhere where their priceless skill will be utilized and remunerated better. It is then we will know how far. Most of them will be lost in a standard operating theatres in the US. Why? Here in Nigeria most of these doctors are just in the comfort zone enjoying free money. They receive large amounts of money for training but many simply put it into other uses yet demanding more. Even the few sophisticated equipment that they manage to procure how many then can even handle them. In the end they are being under utilized in our public hospitals. In fact, I am so disappointed with the statement attributed to the Hon member of the House of Rep. She is one lawmaker I respect and hold in high esteem but for her to make such statement shows the dangerous trend of now trying to over politicize every issue in this land. It think what the NMA should do and focus on first is to try and sanitise this noble profession that is fast defending into something in the mould of kabu kabu business in Nigeria. They should focus on standard.ethics and should make sure that the profession is reclaimed from hangers on,quacks, pretenders and business men who masquerade as doctors and health services providers. NMA should do a thorough stock taking and reflection because at the rate events are going this noble profession is descending into something else and NMA is busy bickering over money and what have you.
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