By Aderogba George, News Agency of Nigeria, Abuja.
The University of Abuja Teaching Hospital Association of Resident Doctors (ARD-UATH), has endorsed its national body, NARD, over plans to begin an industrial action nationwide on Monday, Jan. 12.
President of ARD-UATH, Dr Adewale-Adeleye Premiere, disclosed this at a news conference, briefing journalists on the communiqué issued after the NARD emergency meeting held Jan. 2 in Abuja, Nigeria.
Premiere said the meeting, convened by NARD’s Extraordinary National Executive Council, reviewed implementation status of the Memorandum of Understanding freely entered into between the association and the Federal Government of Nigeria.
He listed Federal Government representatives who signed the MoU with NARD as the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment of Nigeria, respectively.
Premiere said several of the nineteen MoU demands remain unimplemented, stressing that the University of Abuja branch will not hesitate to align with its parent body to actualise them fully nationwide.
He said ARD-UATH supported the National Executive Council’s rejection of the Health Ministry’s decision to redeploy five disengaged resident doctors from Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, to other centres across the country.
According to him, the redeployment plan contradicts clear, unambiguous recommendations of the duly constituted committee established by the Federal Ministry of Health to resolve the Lokoja disengagement dispute fairly, transparently, and conclusively.
Premiere also demanded immediate transmission of compiled promotion arrears owed resident doctors nationwide to the Budget Office and Federal Ministry of Finance for prompt processing and payment by appropriate authorities concerned.
He further urged the Federal Government to urgently rehabilitate decaying infrastructure and replace obsolete equipment in health institutions, saying improved facilities would encourage more doctors to remain and practise in Nigeria.
The ARD-UATH president demanded activation of the MoU taskforce on locum regulation, reduced work hours, immediate resumption, and timely conclusion of the stalled Collective Bargaining Agreement process for resident doctors nationwide.
He also called for immediate payment of outstanding salaries and allowances owed colleagues in affected tertiary institutions, including BSUTH, KSSH, DELSUTH, FMC Owo, UUTH, OAUTHC, UITH, and FUHSTH Otukpo promptly, nationwide.
Premiere demanded reconciliation and payment of failed IPPIS transactions affecting arrears from the 25 and 35 per cent CONMESS and accoutrement allowance reviews impacting about 40 per cent of members nationwide.
He warned that failure to fully implement the MoU would compel ARD-UATH to join the planned nationwide industrial action scheduled to commence by midnight on Monday, Jan. 12.
NEWS AGENCY OF NIGERIA