Re- Response to Nigerian resident doctors

The recent release by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) against other health professionals particularly pharmacy, physiotherapy and optometry raise a serious concern on whether the NARD is truly in touch with reality or simply chooses to be mischievous. There is thus the need for clarifications to be made.

The prefix Dr is not the personal property of any profession. Tracing history, the Dr title is from the Latin word “docere”, which is reserved for scholars. Specifically, it is linked more to PhD holders and not 1st degree holders like MBBS who now imagine they have exclusive preserve to the Dr title. Thus, the title Dr. can be used by anyone who earns it whether by an academic degree, a professional degree or by honorary basis, or even as a courtesy title (as seen with physicians with only MBBS degree which is not a doctorate but a Bachelor’s degree). Hence, the genuine quest for the Dr title cannot be seen as competing with physicians as claimed by NARD. The title can be earned by the above-mentioned health professionals just as physicians earn theirs too.

 It is also not out of place to seek better remuneration or better working conditions. Health workers on the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) have a right to demand reward for labour. The clamour for adjustment of CONHESS as was done for Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) based on a 2009 MoU signed between the JOHESU and FMOH which unambiguously says once you adjust any of the 2 salary scales in the health sector, the other must be adjusted by a commensurate percentage. 

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The thought of physicians thinking the goal is to match the CONMESS salary structure is rather an illusion and deceptive. Pharmacists and Physicians used to enjoy same entry levels which was GL 08 during internship and 09 after youth service. 

The difference was two steps advantage in favour of Physicians up to 1991 when the discriminatory MSS was introduced by the then Olikoye Ransome Kuti led FMOH. Today, physicians start their  full time job on GL 13 after their youth service with 100% Call duty Allowance using higher COMESS scale while other health professionals (including pharmacists who, hitherto, enjoyed same entry points as physicians) start their full-time job on GL 10 with 50% Call duty Allowance using relatively lower CONHESS salary scale. Pharmacists with Pharm. D and Optometrists (Opt. D) now have enabling circulars to start full time job on GL 12 after completing their NYSC using still the CONHESS salary scale that is relatively lower. This still gives the Physicians the relatively higher GL advantage as they still enjoy the higher entry point with higher pay Scale of CONMESS.

This implies that adjusting CONHESS does not translate into earning same salaries with the Physicians who are already on a higher pay scale of CONMESS and higher Grade Level but just to maintain the relativity and equity between the two salary scales in the event of amendments contrary to the propaganda of NARD. 

NARD members who are all just students undergoing training should please focus on their studies & trainings and desist from making provocative and embarrassing statements , which can further tear apart the seriously ailing Nigerian health system. NARD should be very grateful to the Nigerian governments for sponsoring them financially unlike what their equivalent colleagues go through in other climes.

The NUC is also hailed for their decisions and are encouraged not to yield to distractions by detractors who have refused to think globally while working locally.  Furthermore, policies that will  increase professionalism, career growth and interprofessional collaboration should be encouraged.

Pharm. King-David Ahuchaogu, the General Secretary, Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria-Young Pharmacists Group, Enugu State Chapter, wrote this piece