FG recalls 16,000 sacked resident doctors

The Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu, announced the reinstatement of over 16,000 resident doctors sacked on August 13. The spokesperson to the Minister, Dan Nwomeh, in a tweet said the doctor’s reinstatement became yesterday (Thursday). The resident doctors make up 70 per cent of the workforce in government’s hospitals. The doctors were sacked after a month-long strike by the Nigerian Medical Association, (NMA) an association of all medical practitioners in Nigeria.

The doctors had been on indefinite strike following the non-compliance of their “24 minimum demands” by the Nigerian government. However, the NMA strike was called off on Sunday. The NMA on calling off the strike gave the government condition that all sack resident doctors must be reinstated without punitive measures. Mr. Nwomeh said the Federal Government has lifted the suspension of the Residency Training Programme, RTP in all federal hospitals.

This programme sees the resident doctors through their career in becoming consultants.

Following the lift of the suspension of the RTP all Chief Medical Directors, CMDs and Medical Directors, MDs of training centers have been directed to issue letters of reinstatement to the resident doctors. Mr. Nwomeh said the letters will enable the doctors resume work. He also quoted the government as urging the reinstated doctors to view the reinstatement as a sign of goodwill by the administration. He asked them to put greater commitment and dedication to their duties.