By Azoma Chikwe and Juliana Taiwo- Obalonye, Abuja
THE Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) has described sacking of resident doctors as embarrassing and demoralising.
Already, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has waded into the matter.
The association stated this at the end of its Extra- Ordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abuja.
MDCAN President, Prof. Sani Balarabe Garko, told newsmen that sacking the doctors while Dogara was mediating dashed the hopes of those looking forward to a quick resolution as well as dampen the morale of the mediators.
The association described as unacceptable and condemnable the refusal of some CMDs/MDs to pay accrued allowances to medical doctors and reminded them that it was their responsibility to ensure industrial harmony in their various centres so that the ordinary Nigerians do not suffer from service disruption.
It proposed a single tenure for CMDs/MDs as done in the universities for Vice Chancellor position. In the communique signed by the Garko, and Secretary General, Dr. Abdulkadir Rafindadi, MDCAN said it was determined to do all within its powers to push forward an amicable resolution of the impasse.
Meanwhile, resident doctors may have suspended the strike yesterday following a directive from the Federal Government to Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) and Medical Directors (MDs) of Federal Tertiary Health Institutions to replace resident doctors who refused to report to their duty posts. When contacted, some resident doctors said their leaders were holding meetings with top government officials to resolve the impasse.
Federal Government hospitals contacted yesterday by Daily Sun said resident doctors were yet to resume work but were optimistic that the worst was over in the face-off.
An official of the Public Relations Unit at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi- Araba said: “We cannot say whether they have resumed work today (yesterday) or not; by tomorrow (today), the picture will be clearer. But the report we are getting says they have suspended the strike.” At the National Orthorpaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos (NOHIL), an official at the Public Relations Department said: “You cannot judge with the mood today if they have decided to resume work…”