The Federal Capital Territory chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has urged the Tinubu government to reconsider its “no work, no pay” policy against medical workers. The call by the association was made in collaboration with the Nasarawa and Kogi states chapters at a news conference on Sunday in Abuja to usher in the 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM), and Scientific conference of the NMA-FCT. according to NAN.
The Federal Government had ordered the stoppage of the payment of salaries of members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) following their strike over unresolved welfare issues.
The government said it invoked the policy to ensure that members of the association are not paid during the period of the strike, and to deter other health workers.
Dr. Charles Ugwuanyi, the Chairman of NMA-FCT, condemned the proposed idea by the Federal Government, which took the decision following the ongoing strike by the National Association of Residents Doctors (NARD).
According to Ugwuanyi, if the government goes on with the plan, it will further encourage the perceived healthcare challenge of the dearth of doctors, where most of them have already moved out of the country. headtopics.com
He said that what NARD was only demanding for its rights, aimed at encouraging the doctors who were willing to continue to work for the country to stay. According to him, at the moment, Nigeria has less than 25, 000 registered practicing doctors, stressing that the government must find a way to encourage doctors to stay in the country.
More so, the association commiserated with the Lagos State government over the death of Dware Viaso who passed on in an elevator accident last week.
