COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF RESIDENT DOCTORS, UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA TEACHING HOSPITAL, ITUKU OZALLA, ENUGU STATE, WHICH HELD ON MONDAY 10TH AUGUST, 2015 AT THE RESIDENT DOCTORS’ COMMON ROOM.

COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF ORDINARY GENERAL MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION OF RESIDENT DOCTORS, UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA TEACHING HOSPITAL, ITUKU OZALLA, ENUGU STATE, WHICH HELD ON MONDAY 10^TH AUGUST, 2015 AT THE RESIDENT DOCTORS’ COMMON ROOM.

The Association of Resident Doctors of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Ituku Ozalla (ARD UNTH) held her Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) on Monday 10^th August, 2015 at the Resident Doctors’ Common Room and observed as follows:

1)      That ARD UNTH commenced indefinite and total withdrawal of services since 3^rd July, 2015, which is over 5 weeks now, protesting the injustices being meted out on Doctors and patients in UNTH and refusal by the Hospital Management to implement directives of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

2)      The Congress appreciates the efforts of the Hospital Management led by Dr C. C. Amah in trying to resolve the industrial dispute but observes that this is clearly and grossly insufficient.

3)      That the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health in two Circulars with reference numbers C.2262/T/111 and C.2262/T/109 dated 29^th July, 2015, clearly directed the Chief Medical Directors to place Doctors appropriately in obedience to Industrial Court Judgment of 2013 and subsequent Federal Government Circular with reference number HCSF/EPO/EIR/63755/T1/195 which gave similar directives as far back as 19^th December, 2013.

4)      That the Management on different occasions verified and confirmed that Medical/ Dental Officers, Resident Doctors and House Officers, were appropriately placed in the 2015 personnel cost budget but despite  this verified evidence, Hospital Management is yet to commence implementation.

5)      That claims from the Hospital Management that they lack the template for implementation and lack the financial capacity to fulfill the 2015 budget as approved is grossly unacceptable to us as this runs contrary to the facts and figures we have and which the Management has made no more than mere oral efforts to refute.

6)      That about 16 tertiary health institutions eg OAUTHC Ile Ife, FMC Owo etc have since placed Doctors appropriately as directed by the Federal Government and have thus maintained industrial harmony in the respective centres. It leaves much to desire therefore, that UNTH which is the leading health institution in the south east, have refused to implement the directives of the Federal Government nor provide valid and transparent proof of inadequate funds,  thereby promoting and sustaining this undesired strike action.

7)      That nothing has so far been said or done about the resolution of the lingering local issues examples: resolving the ambiguity in advancement of Doctors, payment of 2014 teaching allowance arrears and other salary/promotion arrears and overhaul in the service delivery in the hospital with an aim to reducing bureaucracy in patient management and improving global clinical outcome of patients. 

After extensive deliberations, the congress resolved as follows:

1)      That the over 5weeks strike action will be continued until the hospital management attends to our legitimate demands.

2)      That all avenues that will help in making the management expedite action and bring this industrial dispute to an end should be utilized with immediate effect.

3)      That we insist that the UNTH management should as a matter of urgency allow representatives of NMA Enugu State, MDCAN UNTH and ARD UNTH to look critically into the personnel records and nominal roll budget of 2015 and ascertain their claim of not having enough funds as previously agreed by the Nigerian Medical Association, the Committee of Chief Medical Directors and the Federal Ministry of Health.

4)      We appreciate and hail the change agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari and reaffirm that our strike action is not directed at the Federal Government of Nigeria but at the UNTH Hospital Management who have refused to implement Federal Government Directives and has not shown any evidence of their claimed financial incapability.

5)      We appeal to all Nigerians especially those who the service disruption in UNTH affect the most, to please kindly bear with us, as they in the end will also be beneficiaries of this struggle.

Signed:

Dr. Ugwuoke Aloy Ifedinso                                                                Dr. Ndiokwelu Chibuzo

President                                                                                                  Gen Secretary

Dr Chukwuma C. Oraegbunam

Public Relations Officer