The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Bayelsa State Chapter, and the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH) have expressed displeasure over the non-domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act in Bayelsa State.
The executives of the union made their positions known during an interface with the Commissioner for Labour, Employment and Productivity, Hon. Stanley Braboke in Yenagoa.
In his remarks, the Chairman, NMA, Dr. Ngowari Torunana said the meeting with the Commissioner was necessitated by their displeasures about the government’s delay in domesticating the Residency Training Act.
He stated that members of the Association undergoing residency training in the state are denied upgrade even after passing the requisite exams, which is due to the non-domestication of the Act in the state.
On his part, the President of the ARD, NDUTH, Dr. Oru Inetsol said the residency training is tasking and expensive for individual doctors.
He said as a result, they require government’s support which has been agreed upon in the am Act but is yet to be implemented, and appealed to the state government to expedite its implementation.
Dr. Oru also urged the government to employ more doctors as they are grossly understaffed, in order to boost health care delivery at NDUTH.
In his response, Hon. Braboke informed them that the State Government is in the process of fixing the challenge of inadequate manpower in the health system.
He said the government has constituted a committee to review the Needs Assessment report submitted by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in order for adequate measures to be taken and challenges solved.
He appealed to the Resident Doctors to be patient and requested that the executives of the NMA and ARD furnish him with relevant documents to enable him follow-up their demands.
Hon. Braboke further advised the associations to continue with dialogue and not resort to strike, adding that the ongoing strike is not the best way to drive home their demands.
