suspension of residency training programme
not reversible – FG
AUGUST 20, 2014
The Federal Government on Wednesday said
the embargo placed on appointment of new
doctors into public hospitals across the
country and the suspension of the Residency
Training Programme in the health sector was
done in the overall interest of all Nigerians.
Secretary to the Government of the
Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, stated this in
his office during a meeting with the
members of the Presidential Committee of
experts on inter-professional relationship in
the public health sector and top policy
makers of the federal government.The
committee which was led by a former SGF,
Dr. Yayale Ahmed, was constituted by the
federal government to fashion ways of
fostering harmony in the sector to avoid
perennial crisis.Anyim explained that the
federal government suspended fresh
negotiations with the striking doctors and
other unions in the sector pending the
outcome of the committee. He also said the
suspension of the residency training
programme and the embargo placed on
employment of new doctors in federal
government hospitals would remain in force
pending the submission of the committee’s
report.He said, “Even as we try to discuss
with members of the Nigerian Medical
Association, and other unions in the sector,
we would have difficulty to have much to do
except to wait for the report of this
committee.“Presently, Mr. President had
directed that there should be no fresh intake
of doctors into any public hospitals. He had,
as well, directed that Residency Training
Programme should be suspended. “The idea
is that, until we find a lasting solution to this
sector, everything should be on hold. The
expectations are squarely on your committee
to provide the solution. “We have insisted
that we could not re-open negotiations with
them when this committee is yet at work. I
do recalled that one of the concerns they
shared was that they did not know when the
committee’s work would end.“For them, they
thought it was a ploy on the part of the
government simply to drag its feet, on their
demands. With your visit today, it is clear ,
it is evident, it is in fact right on the table,
that your committee is at work, it is
marching step by step with due diligence to
arriving at a lasting solution to all the
challenges in the sector. He said the
challenges that the government is facing
from the health sector was so monumental
that “President Jonathan thought it wise to
seek your (Ahmed) leadership of a committee
that we believe we can entrust to resolve the
challenges.”
He noted that the mandate of the committee,
its terms of reference, the importance of the
work, and indeed, the difficulties of the job,
were quite appreciated.