Doctors fight back against the five-year mandatory service and take on reps

The Federal Government’s failure to pay members’ wages was also criticised by the physicians.

The Nigeria-trained medical and dental professionals must work for five years before receiving a full licence, according to a House of Representatives bill that has been challenged by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

After the conclusion of the association’s emergency extended National Officers’ Committee (NOC) meeting, which lasted essentially the whole weekend, NARD clarified its position in a statement.

The resident physicians expressed outrage at the sponsor of the bill, Honourable Ganiyu Johnson (APC/Lagos), according to a statement acquired on Monday by Channels Television.

The Federal Government’s failure to pay members’ wages as the present government progressively comes to an end was also criticised by the physicians.

The communiqué stated, “The extended NOC observed with shock and disappointment, the vexatious attempts by Honourable Ganiyu Abiodun Johnson and the Federal House of Representatives to enslave Nigerian-Trained Medical Doctors for five years post-graduation before they can be issued full practising licences or allowed to travel abroad if they so desired.

“The extended NOC condemned the Federal Government’s incapacity to evaluate the CONMESS compensation system despite multiple pledges, even with the impending change in Government,” according to the statement.

The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria downgraded the West African Postgraduate Colleges’ membership certificate, which NARD expressed concern over (MDCN).

Positively, it applauded the governments of the states of Ekiti and Bayelsa for adopting and implementing the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) and for the payment of the revised hazard allowance by the Ekiti State Government.

It promised to call a special National Executive Council meeting within the next two weeks to go through the problems brought up and decide the best course of action.