The threat by the federal government to replace striking medical doctors with National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members may have fizzled out, Blueprint can authoritatively report.
Indication to this emerged Wednesday night after a stakeholders’ meeting called to resolve the ongoing strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) in Abuja.
A major resolution of the meeting was the approval and consequent cash-backing of about N9billion as additional payment for the doctors.
The federal government had earlier paid N20billion to health workers, including the doctors as COVID-19 allowances.
Doctors’ grievances
The NARD had in June, 2020 called out its members on strike over unpaid salaries, non-payment of hazard allowance, and a dearth of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in hospitals, among several other reasons.
Following the intervention of Speaker House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Boss Mustapha, and Chairman Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) Kayode Fayemi among others, the week-long strike was called off to enable both the federal and state governments fulfil the outstanding demands.
Dissatisfied with the level of governments’ response to their demands, the doctors resumed their industrial action Monday.
FG’s threat
And to nip the strike in the bud and allow routine services in its hospitals continue, the federal government ordered the use of consultants as well as doctors currently on the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme.
Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire gave the directive in a statement Wednesday in Abuja.
He also directed that staffers should “be brought in when and where necessary to forestall services’ disruption when applicable and affordable.”
Ehanire said: “It is with deep concern that l view the ongoing strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors which commenced Tuesday September 7, 2020.”
“We must remember that the primary duty of doctors and all health workers is to save lives. Embarking on a strike in this time that the country is battling with the COVlD-19 pandemic is ill-timed and ill-advised.
“It is a critical time in which all well-meaning medical professionals should close ranks and confront the common enemy, which is the COVlD-I9 pandemic threatening mankind.
“This is therefore one strike too many. Besides, most of the demands have been met and others though difficult, are at an advanced stage of implementation. A little patience would have made a big difference.
“The Federal Ministry of Health finds it necessary to ensure measures are put in place to mitigate the effect of this strike on the generality of our populace by directing the CMDs/MDs of our federal tertiary hospitals to immediately do the following: COVlD-19 treatment outlets should continue to function as before.
“Emergency services should continue to run as before. Routine services should be maintained with consultants, NYSC Doctors. Locum staffers are to be brought in when and where necessary to forestall services disruption when applicable and affordable.”
Also featuring on Channels Television Wednesday, Minister of State for Health Adeleke Olorunnimbe Mamora said: “We have been able to pay the COVID-19 inducement allowance because we had to suspend the hazard allowance for this period so that we can go into renegotiation after.
“We are now paying, starting from 50 per cent of the basic of the workers depending on where the point of operation is. We were able to pay April, May, June, part of it has been paid but not fully paid and it’s because of the economic situation and these funds have to be sourced for one way or the other.
“We’ve been able to disburse close to N20billion and I repeat close to 20billion. So, to now say nothing has been done, that is not true.
“Every worker in the Federal Civil Service is entitled to the Group Life Insurance Scheme which is domiciled in the office of the head of Civil Service of the Federation.”
NARD gets fresh deal
However, the federal government may have backed down on its threat following a meeting with the aggrieved doctors, thus giving hope that the industrial action might be called off today.
This followed a ‘successful meeting’ the union had with the federal government’s representatives led by Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige.
The meeting which commenced at 1.30pm ended at 7:30 at the Ministry of Labour and Employment with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding by all parties.
The MoU
The MoU was jointly signed by NARD President Dr. Sokomba Aliyu, the secretary general, Dr. Bilqis Muhammed, secretary general of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Ekpe Philips Uche, Accountant General of the Federation Ahmed Idris, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health A. M Abdullahi and his labour and employment counterpart, Dr. Yerima Tarfa.
Others signatories were Minister of State for Health Mamora, his labour and employment counterpart, Mr Festus Keyamo, SAN, and Minister Ngige.
The MoU reads: “After extensive deliberations, NARD agreed that the hospitals and isolation centres now have sufficient PPE.”
“The meeting noted that the federal government had paid the total sum of Nine Billion Three Hundred Million naira (N9.3b) to insurance companies for life group insurance and payment of death benefits for health workers.
“The meeting recalled that it had been agreed that the issue of payment of 2014, 2015, and 2016 arrears would be further discussed post covid-19, therefore, no agreement was breached.
“Implementation of the Payment of the Special Hazard/Inducement Allowance Meeting was satisfied that the N20B already appropriated in 2020 Covid-19 Budget has been exhausted to N19B and praised the Federal Government and Mr. President for approving additional N8,901,231,773.55 to pay up the large chunk of the June 2020 Covid-19 allowance to all Medical Health Workers.
“This has been cash backed and the mandate sent to the Central Bank of Nigeria for payments to start with effect from today September 9, 2020. This would be bring the total disbursement to about N28bn.
“Permanent New Rate of Hazard Allowance: Discussions for review of a Permanent Hazard Allowance for all Health Workers will commence as soon as possible after consultations by the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment with all Stakeholders in the Health Sector. Based on the principles of ability to pay, this will cover all Health Workers in a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Meeting will be convened as soon as possible in that regard.
“Payment of all owed arrears of the Consequential Adjustment of the National Minimum Wage to her members, and implementation of such in States Tertiary Health Institutions:
It was noted that those affected were the Youth Corp Members and House Officers who are regarded as ad hoc staff.
“For State Hospitals, the Federal Government can only be persuasive. It was recalled that NARD had been assigned the responsibility to submit a list from the defaulting hospitals to the Federal Ministry of Health for onward transmission to the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning.
“Domestication of the Residency Training Act by State Governments: Recognising the Autonomy of States within the Federation, the meeting agreed that the issue would be tabled at the National Economic Council and National Council of Health to persuade the States to domesticate the Act.
“In view of these Understandings, NARD will consult with her Executive Council within the next 24hrs with a view to calling off the strike by tomorrow, September 10, 2020.
“Nobody will be victimized for any activity connected with or for participating in the industrial action.”
NARD lauds meeting
In his reaction, NARD President Dr. Sokomba said the meeting was successful, adding that the association would summon a National Executive Council (NEC) meeting with a view to reviewing their earlier position.
