Hospitals plan options as doctors begin indefinite strike

…MDCAN declares strike illegal
LAGOS – HOSPITALS across the country, yesterday, mapped out options to mitigate the effects of the indefinite strike embarked upon, yesterday, by resident doctors,under the aegis of National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD. nationwide.

Part of the options is the directive from Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCAN, to doctors on housemanship not to join the strike, so they could offer services to the public.

However, normal services were in place at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, yesterday.

When Vanguard visited LUTH, yesterday morning, normal services were in place. Normal services were also observed at the Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Metta, and Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba.

From the Accident and Emergency to other departments such as Obstetrics and Gynaecology, including Surgery, Paediatrics, Medical Outpatients Clinics and Labour, patients were being attended to.

But in a chat, the President of the LUTH-ARD, Dr Sekumade Adebayo, said they were complying with the directive from the national body.

“We have just received the national directive to embark on strike and we are in compliance with that. Our executives are monitoring the level of compliance as the strike is ongoing in LUTH.”

Adebayo, however, noted that their members would go about the directive with a human face, stating that if need be, patients would be referred to centres where they can be taken care of.

Measures in place to mitigate effects—CMD LUTH

Reacting to the development, Chief Medical Director, LUTH, Prof Chris Bode, said measures were in place to mitigate effects of the strike.

Bode said the management would address the public after appraising the situation by today.

He told Vanguard in a telephone chat: “Tomorrow (today) we will give a comprehensive report of the situation. Contingencies have been put in place as response to the strike. The senior doctors, house officers, and other non-residents are taking care of patients and there are no plans to discharge patients.

“Most of the doctors are off duty because of the holidays. This is because we record low turnout of patients during festivities.”

Also reacting, former president of Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, LUTH chapter, Dr Omojuowolo Olubunmi, confirmed that  only resident doctors and not consultants were on strike.

“A few of our members will be on ground but will be running on a very low capacity. We know that the patients suffer most during strike like this. That is why the resident doctors are working hard to ensure that the strike is not prolonged.”

300 doctors in  UBTH join strike

Meanwhile, resident doctors at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Edo State, have joined the strike.

President of the UBTH branch, Dr. Eustace Oseghale, told Vanguard that over 300 members of the association down tools at 8am yesterday.

“Yes we have. It (strike) is a national directive. We are withdrawing services until our demands are met,” Oseghale said on the telephone.

He explained that though the action would take its toll on the patients, in spite of available consultants, a resolution of the issues would be in the interest of the patients.

Announcing the strike action

Early yesterday morning, the NARD announced it was embarking on indefinite strike in a one paragraph statement signed by the President, Dr. Onyebueze John, in Abuja.

The statement read:  “Rising from our NEC meeting, which started by 7pm, yesterday, and ended 3 am today, NARD has resolved to reject the promissory offer from government, and proceed on total and indefinite strike action until all items in her demand list for strike action are resolved by Government.”

It will be recalled that in January this year, NARD embarked on seven-day nationwide warning strike to press home their demand for revitalised Residency training programme, implementation of the National Health Act, payment of arrears among other things.

The members of NARD are demanding the resolution of persistent shortfalls and unpaid arrears of salaries in federal and state tertiary health institutions.

Other issues include enrolment of resident doctors into the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System, IPPIS, since 2003 and non-implementation of adjusted House Officers’ Entry grade level equivalent since 2014.

The striking doctors are also asking for resolution of issues around stagnation of their promotion and non-promotion of members with requisite criteria, despite all collective bargaining agreements and circulars.

Last week, NARD met with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, and Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, but they failed to reach an agreement.

MDCAN declares  strike illegal

Meanwhile, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCAN, yesterday described as illegal the ongoing strike by members of NARD.

It warned that embarking on strike by doctors on internship would lead to repeating of the postings afresh without remuneration.

It also advised Chief Medical Directors, Medical Directors and Medical Superintendents to be alive to their responsibilities and ensure that all doctors over whom they have administrative charge, abide by all extant regulations.

The MDCN in a statement entitled: “Professional Ethics for House Officers/Interns,” signed by its Acting Registrar/Chief Executive, Dr. Tajudeen Sanusi, cited Section 2 (D) paragraph (iii) of the Guidelines on Registration (2003 ed)

“Embarking on strike by interns will lead to repeating of the posting(s) afresh without remuneration. Interns are, therefore, advised to avoid participation in activities like industrial actions that could lead to interruption in their postings.

“Medical and dental practitioners should note that provisional registration does not guarantee automatic admittance to the Full Register. Full Registration is granted only on satisfactory completion of internship training”, the MDCN stated.

Sanusi said: “The MDCN regulates medical and dental practice in Nigeria, including clinical laboratory practice by members of the professions as stipulated by the provisions of the Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Act Cap M8 LFN 2004 and the various subsidiary legislative documents flowing therefrom.

“Due to the recent development in the health sector, the MDCN is constrained to issue this public notice as guidance to practitioners and the general public. Medical and dental practitioners on the Provisional Register who are employed as House Officers (Interns), heads of health institutions where internship training for medical or dental graduates are conducted and the general public should note the provisions of the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act in sections 1(2c), 8, 11, 12, the Rules and Guidelines that flow therefrom including the Code of Medical Ethics in Nigeria (2008 Ed) and Guidelines on Registration.

“Provisional registration is for the purpose of enabling young doctors undertake internship training in an approved hospital under the supervision of registered specialists. Provisional registration lapses after two years or immediately a doctor is signed off from internship. Generally, it is expected that on employment, interns should complete their postings within 12 calendar months.

“During the internship, doctors and dentists are required to undertake 12 weeks’ uninterrupted postings in each of Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and Paediatri cs and other relevant specialties for dentistry. Any interruption for any reason, including embarking on strike actions, during any of the postings, will not be condoned and should be reported immediately to the Chief Medical Director, Medical Director or Medical Superintendent of the internship training Institution. This press statement is hereby made for the purpose of guidance of members of the profession and the general public.”

Adewole  appeals to striking doctors

Meantime, Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, has appealed to the striking resident doctors to suspend the strike action in the interest of Nigerians who are need of medical care.

Adewole, who gave assurance of the Federal Government’s commitment to address all the issues in contention said the government needed a little more time to address the issues.

According to the minister in a statement, “another round of meetings have been scheduled for Wednesday, September 6, 2017 and it is hoped that more progress would have been made in reaching a consensus in all the issues being discussed”.

He directed Medical Directors and Chief Medical Directors of Federal Government-owned hospitals to ensure that consultants and Youth Corps doctors as well as doctors on internship are on duty to provide health services at the hospitals in order to ensure there is no break in healthcare services to our people.

Giving assurance he said that the Federal Government Health Facilities would be open and render services to the people while the government continues to dialogue with the resident doctors to return to work.

He said arrangements on to make use of Armed forces Police and Federal Road Safety Health Facilities.

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