By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
The Nigerian Medical Association, Federal Capital Territory branch, has vowed not to take the abuse of sacking locum doctors saying that for violating their own terms of Locum engagements and kept them for upwards of 3-5 years with constant promise of conversion , this sudden disengagement is inhumane, insensitive to the socioeconomic realities and therefore not acceptable us.
NMA condemns in it entirety the
selective victimization of Locum Consultants saying the hurried response from the National Hospital Abuja fails to clarify convincingly the reasons for selective victimization of three Locum Consultants who have served between 3-5 yrs without being converted.
Sparklight News learnt from the Nigeria hospital conditions of service on Locum appointment that temporary appointment could be made and interview would be arranged at which time, without prejudice,the Locum appointments would be interviewed within three months which was not followed by the Chief Medical Director.
Coroborating this, the reports of NMA congress insist that Nigerians expect clearly the verifiable criteria applied in the selection of 3 victims out of 30 potential sacrificial lambs
“They should also publish a time line for the sequential execution of the rest 27 on awaiting list while the report should also provide details of the duration in months and Years these Locum Consultants have served so that Nigerians shall know how far they have deviated from her own rules and also the existing public service rules on the allowable duration of Locum appointments.
“The report also needs to explain why, on one hand they are disengaging young , hardworking consultants while on the other hand, engaging old and retired ones on contract and other vague terms alien to PSR”.
NMA insist that until a reasonable and verifiable explanations are provided by NHA, Nigerians will need them to focus on providing reasons for this selective victimization and for what purpose and end.
It also explained that the issued 14-day strike ultimatum to the management of the National Hospital, Abuja, demanding the immediate reinstatement of three medical doctors dismissed after being employed as locum consultants for three years still subsist.
NMA faults the response of the response of Head of the Information and Protocol Management Department at the hospital, Maijamaa Adamu that Opting to retain them on the locum arrangement, is an extra magnanimous policy of the management that is mutually beneficial to both parties, and is absolutely subject to favourable operational conditions of the moment, as there is no formal commitment for absorption since that is beyond the powers of the hospital management,” it added.
NMA advised that for respect to humanity, the right thing to do is that if they are not ready to convert them yet, then leave them where they are till the time comes for conversion or they check out on their own.
It would be recalled that
the management of the National Hospital, Abuja, sacked three locum medical consultants of their jobs effective from 31st March 2025 following a directive by the Chief Medical Director, National Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Raji Mahmud.
The aggrieved stakeholders said no tangible reason was given for the decision which they alleged was single-handedly taken by the CMD.
