The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has renewed its call for the state governors to fully implement the Chief Medical Residency Training Act (MRTA), highlighting its crucial role in regulating residency programs across Nigeria’s hospitals.
This was emphasized during a press briefing following NARD’s 44th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Scientific Conference held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The National President of NARD, Dr. Tope Osundara, urged the governments to prioritize the act’s implementation, noting that without such a legal framework, residency programmes in various hospitals remain vulnerable to arbitrary suspension by Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) for unspecified reasons.
Osundara explained, “The Chief Medical Residency Training Act serves as a policy that ensures residency programmes within hospitals are standardized and regulated.
Without this regulation, hospitals could risk having unqualified personnel or see CMDs halting training programs at will.”
He stressed that the MRTA would protect the integrity of medical residency in Nigeria, ensuring the continuous training of doctors in key specializations rather than the proliferation of inadequately trained personnel, which could compromise patient care.
Dr. Osundara also lamented the lack of funding for medical residency training, stating that doctors should not have to bear the financial burden of their training.
He pointed out that resident doctors are not only providing medical services but also conducting research, which requires financial subvention from the government.
“The lack of political will has hindered the proper funding of medical residency training across various states, especially in teaching hospitals,” he added.
According to him, some governors have failed to domesticate the MRTA, further compounding the challenges faced by resident doctors.
He called on state governments to follow the lead of governors like Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, who has taken steps to domesticate the MRTA, ensuring that resident doctors receive the necessary support.
The issue of brain drain, often referred to as the “Japa Syndrome” in Nigeria, was another focal point during the conference.
Dr. Osundara attributed the mass exodus of Nigerian doctors to poor working conditions, inadequate remuneration, and overburdened health professionals, noting that these issues are taking a toll on doctors’ mental health.
“In Nigeria, we have one doctor attending to about 600 patients, far exceeding the World Health Organization (WHO) standard,” Oshindara said.
“This heavy workload, coupled with poor welfare, is driving doctors to seek better opportunities abroad. To address this, the government must improve working conditions, increase remuneration, and prioritize doctors’ welfare.”
He urged the government to consider these factors seriously to curb the growing brain drain, noting that the health sector is losing some of its brightest minds.
Osundara further called for joint efforts from stakeholders and security agencies to ensure the safety of doctors and other healthcare workers, particularly in light of the ongoing kidnapping crisis.
He made a heartfelt appeal for the release of Dr. Popoola Ganiyat, who was abducted.
“We commend the federal government and security agencies for their efforts, but we urge them to do more. We will not rest until Dr. Ganiyat is released safely,” Oshindara stated.
The AGM, which featured notable figures such as the Executive Governor of Ogun State, represented by Dr. Tomi Coker, and former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, issued several resolutions following its deliberations.
Key resolutions included calls for the immediate payment of the outstanding Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) and accoutrement allowance arrears.
NARD also criticized the high-handedness of some CMDs, particularly at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, and the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC), Ile-Ife, for implementing anti-resident policies detrimental to the welfare of doctors.
The AGM demanded that the Federal Government take swift action to address these issues, emphasizing that the health sector’s survival depends on prompt and effective solutions.
The 44th NARD AGM highlighted the persistent challenges facing Nigeria’s healthcare sector, particularly in residency training, brain drain, and the welfare of doctors.
NARD’s leadership reiterated its commitment to advocating for the rights and welfare of resident doctors and called on the government to address the systemic issues threatening the country’s healthcare workforce.
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