The Association of Resident Doctors at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (ARD-UATH) has declared its support for the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) over plans to commence a nationwide industrial action on Monday, Jan. 12.
The President of ARD-UATH, Dr Adewale-Adeleye Premiere, made this known during a news conference in Abuja while briefing journalists on the resolutions reached at NARD’s emergency meeting held on Jan. 2.
Premiere explained that the meeting, convened by NARD’s Extraordinary National Executive Council, reviewed the level of implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the association and the Federal Government.
He noted that the MoU was signed by representatives of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, but lamented that many of its provisions remained unfulfilled.
According to him, several of the 19 agreed demands are yet to be implemented, stressing that the University of Abuja branch will fully align with its national body to ensure nationwide compliance.
Premiere said ARD-UATH supported NARD’s rejection of the Federal Ministry of Health’s decision to redeploy five disengaged resident doctors from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, to other centres across the country.
He described the redeployment plan as inconsistent with the clear recommendations of a duly constituted committee set up by the health ministry to resolve the Lokoja disengagement dispute in a fair and transparent manner.
The ARD-UATH president also called for the immediate transmission of compiled promotion arrears owed resident doctors nationwide to the Budget Office and the Federal Ministry of Finance for prompt processing and payment.
He urged the Federal Government to prioritise the rehabilitation of decaying health infrastructure and replacement of obsolete equipment, noting that improved facilities would help retain doctors and reduce the ongoing brain drain.
Premiere further demanded the 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.
He also called for the immediate payment of outstanding salaries and allowances owed to resident doctors in several tertiary institutions, including BSUTH, KSSH, DELSUTH, FMC Owo, UUTH, OAUTHC, UITH, and FUHSTH Otukpo.
In addition, he demanded reconciliation and payment of failed IPPIS transactions affecting arrears from the 25 and 35 per cent CONMESS and accoutrement allowance reviews, which he said impact about 40 per cent of resident doctors nationwide.
Premiere warned that failure to fully implement the MoU would leave ARD-UATH with no option but to join the planned nationwide industrial action scheduled to begin by midnight on Monday, Jan. 12.