Sacked Doctors: Resident Doctors Fail to Resume Work in Lagos

Five days after the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) suspended its strike, resident doctors in the Federal Government-owned hospitals in Lagos State have yet to resume work.

This followed the insistence of the Federal Government to sack the resident doctors in view of their roles in the NMA's nationwide strike that lasted 55 days.

The Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, had on Aug. 13 announced the sacking of all resident doctors and stoppage of the residency training until further notice.

Chukwu said the suspension of the residency programme would not be lifted until the conclusion of the ongoing appraisal of the challenges in the nation's health sector.

Dr Omojowolo Olubunmi, the President, Association of Resident Doctors, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH-ARD) Chapter, said the doctors stayed away because of government's refusal to reinstate the sacked doctors.

He said some resident doctors, who reported for duty were turned back on the orders of the Chief Medical Directors (CMD) of the respective hospitals. AllAfrica - Vanguarrd - http://allafrica.com/stories/201408290373.html

The Federal Government has reinstated the 16,000 resident doctors it sacked on August 13th. Announcing their reinstatement today August 29th in Abuja, spokesman for the Minister of Health, Dan Nwomeh said the reinstatement became effective Thursday August 28th.