Skip to main content

Labour minister’s statement capable of bringing down health system —NMA





Dr. Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment


THE Nigeri an Medical Association, NMA, weekend described as hate speech a statement credited to the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Chris Ngige, that in the United States of America and other developed countries, resident doctors pay for their residency training.

But NMA President, Prof. Innocent Ujah, said resident doctors are paid all over the world. Ujah said in a statement that in as much as NMA appreciates the efforts being made by the government to resolve the issues that led to the ongoing avoidable and unnecessary industrial action by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, it wished to clarify the misinformation by the Minister.

According to him, the minister;s statement amounts to hate speech capable of bringing down the health system in Nigeria, worsen health care delivery and further escalates the rather unimaginable current brain drain.

“In the United States of America and other developed countries, resident doctors work as they are being trained and are paid by their employers.  ‘’In the United Kingdom, the employers of resident doctors is the NHS, which is similar to what is obtainable in Nigeria.  Furthermore, residents also pay to take their postgraduate medical examinations in the developed countries, which is what also obtains in Nigeria.

“The NMA is totally in disagreement with the manner some government functionaries carry out their duties, which is completely insensitive to the plight of the people.”


Accountability is the fulcrum for good governance in all facets and we do not demand anything less from those charged with the responsibility of governing the people,’’ he said.

Ujah said in order to resolve the lingering crisis in the Nigerian health sector, government should prioritise and improve the healthcare delivery to Nigerians and at the same time improve the welfare of medical practitioners and other health workers.

He said:  “Perhaps, this will help to reduce the current brain drain that is dealing a deadly blow to our health care delivery system, which has made our hospitals to be regarded as mere consulting clinics.

“The NMA wishes to assure Nigerians that it is willing to partner governments towards enhancing quality health care delivery in Nigeria, despite the persistent provocation from its functionaries.’’
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Woman Burned to Death, Accused of Kidnapping 7yrs Old Boy in Delta

By Tessy ogbemi An angry mob set ablaze a woman accused in a failed child kidnapping attempt in Agbarho community, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.  The incident happened on Wednesday, September 24, 2025.  An eyewitness disclosed at the scene of the incident at Ekwvere Road claimed that the woman hid the seven year old boy she allegedly abducted in a sack, adding that she was even carrying a Bible on one hand.  Community sources said some residents in the area accosted the lady when they observed the way she was dragging the sack, to know what she had in it.  "She was unstable when they asked her to disclose what she was carrying in the sack. When the bag was forced open, they found a seven year old child in it. They shouted and it attracted a large crowd,” a source said.  It was gathered that the angry mob immediately brought a used tyre to the scene, which they forced down her neck after beating her to a pulp.  “The lady and the tyre we...
2 comments
Read more

Breaking: ASUU suspends 2-week warning strike

The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, has suspended its two-week warning strike it declared last week across all public universities in the country. The union announced the suspension on Wednesday at a press conference held at its headquarters in Abuja. President of ASUU, Chris Piwuna, who read a prepared speech before newsmen, explained that the development followed intervention by the Senate and some other well-meaning Nigerians. However, he sad the National Executive Council of the Union resolved to give the government a one-month window to address all contending areas.
2 comments
Read more

JUST IN: If Tinubu Had Told Me, I Wouldn’t Have Agreed To Rivers State Of Emergency Rule – Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has stated that he would not have agreed with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu if he had discussed his move to declare a State of Emergency in Rivers State. Wike noted that he is not in conflict with the suspended Rivers State Governor,      Sim Fubara  He stressed his opposition on the State of Emergency rule, stating that only the President knows the right time to lift it. While speaking to journalists in Abuja on Monday, Wike remarked that Fubara has permitted himself to be manipulated by his adversaries to oppose him. The FCT Minister said: “ I made it clear that this impunity will not stand, so what is happening in PDP is what I call undertakers because I see no reason why you will put yourself under that kind of crisis. “I don’t have any crisis with him (Fubara). I’m not the President who declared a State of Emergency; if Mr President had called me, I wouldn’t have agreed to the State of Emergenc...
Post a Comment
Read more