Medical doctors under the umbrella of Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), have expressed concerned over unpaid 12 months salary arrears of members at Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital Ogbomoso (LAUTECH) in Oyo state.
The also frowned at the non-implementation of corrected salary scale of NARD members in many state tertiary health institutions and other irregularities in payment of salaries.
Rising from their meeting their National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja, on Saturday, the association called on the Federal Government to quickly declare a national emergency on Lassa Fever. It also asked government to evaluate hazard allowances paid to health care workers considering the increased risks faced by health care workers.
Speaking on behalf of the association, the National President of NARD, Dr. Aliyu Sokomba, said that such action would attract the needed financial and logistics attention required to contain Lassa Fever and other communicable diseases in Nigeria.
He said: “In the past three weeks, Lassa Fever has spreaded to 18 states with several deaths. Some health care workers were among the casualties. We are deeply concerned about it, hence the call for the emergency because of poor preparedness of our health institutions in handling cases of Lassa Fever.
“The emergency, when declared, would help our preparedness and response in addressing cases of Lassa Fever and other relevant ailments in our various health care institutions.”
Meanwhile, he said that NEC-in-session discussed several issues that border on welfare of its members, patients and entire medical practice in Nigeria.
He said the NEC was unhappy with the continued physical and verbal attacks and assault on its members at different health institutions, and threatened to take unfriendly actions if the attacks continue.
He said the NEC appealed to federal government to ensure speedy payments of arrears of minimum wage, consequential salary adjustment to its members on the GIFMIS platform.
