The Nigerian
Government has directed Chief Medical Directors of health institutions across
the country to open attendance registers for resident doctors beginning from
Wednesday, insisting that those, who fail to show up for work would be
identified and appropriately dealt with.
Osagie Ehanire, Minister
of Health, gave the order after a meeting with members of the National
Association of Resident Doctors ended in a deadlock on Tuesday.
The conciliatory
meeting was at the instance of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris
Ngige, who mediated between the resident doctors and the Ministry of Health.
Ehanire, who spoke
shortly after the talks with the leadership of NARD, noted that health is very
important at this crucial time.
He said, “We are
ready to protect the lives of Nigerians; we are not going to allow our
hospitals to fallow.
“One day, you will
be sitting where we are sitting; you will be going through the same thing we
are going through; it is a circle of life.
“In other countries,
we have seen retired doctors and workers come out of retirement. Nigeria is the
first country in the world where health workers went on strike during a
pandemic.
“We at the ministry
of health are ready to protect the lives of Nigerians, we are not going to
allow our hospitals to fallow.
“The government has
an obligation to support and keep the health of every Nigerians.
“The resident
doctors have told us that they are not returning to work very soon until
certain conditions are met and they cannot keep extending the goal post any
time they like.
“Those who report to
work will be taken as those who are still in service and the register will be
closed at 12 noon and by then we will know who want to still be in service.”
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