By Paul John
I have listened to the Press claiming they are always on the side of the oppressed anytime doctors embark on strike. They argue from the side of the members of the public who are the victims of government’s arrogance and neglect to our health sector. I wonder why the same members of the Press have equally refused to be on the side of the doctors now that another national strike is looming. As usual, agreements have in the past been reached but our insensitive government has severally reneged on her promises.
In view of this, I have decided to reproduce part of the demands of the National Association Of Resident Doctors (NARD) as thus: Roadmap and timeline for the implementation of the National Health Act signed into law in 2014, Timeline for the revamping of THI’s facilities and equipments, Immediate release and implementation of the white paper on residency programme without any ill intended alteration of the recommendations of the committee, by FMOH, and Payment of December 2015 salary to doctors in FMC Owerri who were not on strike but locked out by FMOH. Rescind selective application of no work no pay rule and work without pay punishment to only resident doctors and for equity, justice and fairness, pay affected centres before 31st December 2016 or close of fiscal year as government paid JOHESU currently on strike in FMC Owerri, NOH Enugu, lecturers who recently embarked on strike, nurses while on nationwide strike and centre based strike in UDUTH Sokoto etc. The centres affected include, FMC Umuahia, ESUTH Enugu, UPTH Portharcourt, UBTH Benin,FNPH Uselu, FNPH Aro, FMC Owo, LAUTECH Osogbo, LUTH Idi araba, FMC Lokoja, FMC Bida, UITH Ilorin, JUTH Jos, ABUTH Zaria and FMC Birnin Kebbi.
Pay with immediate effect all outstanding salary arrears, percentages or shortfalls to centres especially FMC Yenogoa since April and UCH Ibadan, ABSUTH Aba, IMSUTH Owerri, NOH Enugu, LAUTECH Osogbo, LTH Ogbomoso and DELSUTH Oghara.
Release the circular on house officers/medical officers entry level as agreed since 2013 but yet to be released even when very recent agreements with others have been transmitted into circular by NSIWC which is still a major source of crisis in many centres. Immediate release of the directive to PENCOMM, BOF and chief executives of THI’s to abide by Pension Reform Act 2004, deduct the pension of residents both the counterpart funding by BOF and employees contribution by respective hospitals and remit same duely to our respective PFA’s,
Appropriate placement of newly employed doctors/correction of the wrongful placement of previously employed doctors to maintain seniority and annual incremental step within the period JOHESU skipped in line with NICN judgement of 2013 on skipping that rendered CONHESS 10 equivalent of CONMESS 2 nonexistent and the myriad of circulars and letters from government since 2013 that entitled doctors to skipping and lateral skipping.
Forthwith stop all attempts to remove relativity between the salary of doctors and other health workers as well stop all moves to revert/reverse skipping for doctors, Immediate reinstatement of members sacked unduly without recourse to the circular on the employment/tenureship of resident doctors and the 2010 high court judgement on tenureship of resident doctors in favour of OOUTH Sagamu, Stop forthwith all victimization of unions, union leaders and members in line with the high court judgement above, the labour law, circulars on relationship with unions and membership to unions in the interest of industrial harmony.
Immediate enrolment of residents into IPPIS with their appropriate skipped salary grade level. Abridged-Minimum end points, White paper on residency training program, Implementation of NHA and Payment of full salary, Appropriate placement of house officers and residents, Pension deduction and remittance, Uniformity in the no application of the circular vis-a-vis no work no pay and Reinstatement of sacked residentsAn end to victimization of our colleagues and the unions and Immediate enrolment of residents into IPPIS with appropriate skipping.
I urge the members of the Press to make these demands known to the members of the public and our insensitive government because very soon the resident doctors will embark on a nationwide strike.
Dr. John writes from Port Harcourt, Rivers.