By Zayamu Hassan
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has appealed to the 36 state governments and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to as a matter of urgency, initiate processes of domesticating the Medical Residency Training Act 2017 (MRTA) in order to maintain industrial harmony with its members.
NARD made the appeal in a communique it issues at the end of its emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which was held virtually recently.
The group further called for the approval of the 2021 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) and its subsequent released for the purpose it is meant for before the end of July 2021.
While commending the State Governors of Delta, Lagos and Benue for the adoption of the MRTA and subsequent approval of its funding, NARD requested that the appropriate ministries and authorities in those states should ensure speedy release of the approved amount without further delay.
“All State Governments yet to domesticate the Medical Residency Training Act 2017 (MRTA), should immediately do so in order to maintain industrial harmony with our members under their employ,” NARD said.
The resident doctors further demanded that all State Governments running training institutions should ensure immediate accreditation of all unaccredited departments for appropriate Residency Training and service delivery.
It however, insisted that, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria “in collaboration with State Tertiary Health Institution Authorities, to initiate plans for central posting of House Officers to the States.”
The communique further said: “Our members on GIFMIS platform should be migrated to IPPIS so as to avoid further accumulation of unpaid salaries and to ease the process of their training.
“The processes for the approval of the 2021 MRTF should be completed and the funds released for the purpose it was meant before the end of July 2021.
“They urged the FG to be more serious by coming up with the desired amount for hazard allowance in the upcoming meeting on Tuesday 22nd of July 2021.
“All salary shortfalls and minimum wage consequential adjustments arrears must be paid to our affected members without further delays.
“The FG should enforce the abolishment of the bench fee as contained in the MOA signed in all training institutions. In line with this demand, and the undue exit of our members in LUTH, the CMD of LUTH should be called to order with immediate effect in order to maintain industrial harmony with NARD.”
NARD however, charged the governors of Abia, Imo, Ondo, Kaduna and Ekiti to “relieve our members from the beggarly posture they have been placed due to the prolonged salary arrears being owed them.
“All State Governments yet to domesticate the Medical Residency Training Act 2017 (MRTA), should immediately do so in order to maintain industrial harmony with our members under their employ.
“The NEC demanded that all the State Governments yet to adopt the minimum wage-adjusted CONMESS 2019 should do so as a matter of urgency with the key state being Kaduna State Government who is using a different salary scale,” the communique said.
The doctors also demanded the immediate payment of the COVID-19 inducement hazard allowance by all State Governments as done for their colleagues in Federal Institutions.
NARD, therefore, reiterated its commitment to the smooth running of the health sector but that it may not be able to guarantee continuous industrial harmony when its members are suffering especially those under state government employ.
