Members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) have been reported to have replaced the striking doctors in the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Yola, Adamawa State.
Recall that the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) directed its members across the country to embark on an indefinite strike from the 2nd of August, 2021, following the inability of the Federal Government to meet the demands of the doctors.
However, according to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the NYSC doctors and other senior medical officers have been seen attending to patients with emergency cases in Yola.
NAN reports that the strike also affected many departments and units, including the Accidents and Emergency units, Paediatric and Intensive Care Units as well as Labour Ward and surgical theatres among other services.
Reacting, Mr Adamu Dodo, Head of Information and Media Relations, FMC, Yola, said that the hospital was not completely shut down due to the strike.
”Everything is normal. Hospital is a teamwork setting, strengthened by synergy between and among the medical professionals and health workers,” Dodo said.
He noted that NARD was only one category of medical doctors.
”There are doctors from the ranks of Principal Medical Officers (PMO) and above, the Consultants and the NYSC, who were doing their best to attend to patients.
”This is to say that the entire service windows are opened, you’ve seen it yourself; the admission wards, the Accident and Emergency Unit and Labour Wards,” he said.
Dodo confirmed that the only unusual circumstances being experienced were the workload shouldered by the dedicated NYSC doctors.
However, NARD has apologised to Nigerians over its decision, insisting the cause as the failure of the government to stay true to its responsibilities.
The association also disclosed that the resolutions reached at the end of the meeting after critical appraisal of the performance of both Federal and State Governments on all the issues affecting the welfare of its members and the insincerity of government in implementing the memorandum of action after 113 days, caused NEC to unanimously resolve by vote to resume the total and indefinite on Aug. 2.
The NEC in particular demanded the immediate withdrawal of the circular removing House Officers from the scheme of service.
Finally, the NEC stated unequivocally, especially to the members of the public, that the NARD is committed to the smooth running of the health sector; however, it can only do so when its welfare is given the desired attention.
(NAN)
