NAN-HG-10
Protest
By Patience Omoha
Gwagwalada (FCT), Jan. 10, 2017 (NAN) The Association of Resident Doctors, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital (UATH), on Tuesday staged a peaceful protest within the hospital over the non-implementation of policies in the National Health Act 2014.
The doctors, carrying placards bearing various inscriptions such as “Implement National Health Act 2014, provide basic equipment, implement new residency programme,” chanted solidarity songs to drive home their grievance.
Addressing newsmen in Gwagwalada, FCT, the President of the association, Dr Ucha Ifeanyi, said that the association was following the directive of its national body to stage the peaceful protest.
Ifeanyi said that if the issues were not addressed, it would lead to the total collapse of the health system in the country.
He further said that resident doctors suffered selective implementation of policies against them and wondered why.
“For example, proper placement of doctors which has been approved should be implemented. That of the other health workers was signed also and the ministry understood theirs, but seem no to understand ours.
“The association understands the issue of `No work, No pay’, but it is only directed towards the doctors; other unions go on strike and end up earning steady salaries.”
Ifeanyi said that residency training like others, should be sponsored, adding that there should be a White Paper released to that effect and not for the training to be subjected to the hospital policy.
On the issue of remittance of pension, he alleged that the doctors’ money was being deducted but not remitted.
“Why is the Federal Government not contributing its quota to our pension? We go through this training for seven to eight years; so, must we go through this till we are all consultants before we start saving up for our pensions?
“We believe it is an injustice to us. All we want is for the agreement reached to be implemented,’’ he added. (NAN)
OPO/FAT/NKO
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Edited by Fatima Sule/Nkechi Okoronkwo
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