Healthcare: Resident Doctors issue 14-day ultimatum to Enugu to employ more personnel or risk strike

*The Enugu State Chapter of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors urges the Enugu State Government to urgently approve the recruitment of additional medical officers, resident doctors and house officers in the state hospital, asking the Management to implement safety policies to protect their workers against physical attacks and kidnap

Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Enugu State Chapter, in South-East Nigeria, has given the Enugu State Government a 14-day ultimatum to employ new doctors in the health institution, or risk industrial action.

Dr. Chukwunonso Ofonere, President of the Association in the state, said this in a recent statement issued at its Emergency General Meeting (EGM).

Ofonere stated the body resolved that there should be urgent approval for the recruitment of medical officers, resident doctors and house officers in the hospital especially at the Accident and Emergency Department, surgery department, internal medicine department, paediatrics department, obstetrics and gynaecology departments etc.

According to Ofonere, the Resident Doctors in the aforementioned Departments have left the institution in the past four years and were never replaced by the state government.

The medical professionals equally urged the State Hospital Management to ensure the implementation of safety policies to protect their workers against physical attacks and kidnap within a week as promised by the Chief Medical Director (CMD) and finally, immediate implementation of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) as their colleagues in other states.

The Association stated: “First, the Management should declare a state of emergency on the employment of doctors in the hospital.

“There should be an urgent approval for the recruitment of medical officers, resident doctors and house officers in the hospital.”

He noted: “This recruitment should be focused especially at the Accident and Emergency Department, Surgery Department, Internal Medicine Department, Paediatrics Department, Obstetrics and Gynaecology Departments.

“Secondly, management should ensure the implementation of safety policies to protect her workers against physical attacks and kidnap within one week as promised by the chief medical director (CMD).”

Ofonere also noted: “Thirdly, the immediate implementation of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) as our counterpart in other states; even as attached to this communique is the list of the eligible doctors and the financial implications.”