The federal government has explained that current civil service rules do not have a provision for special allowances for resident doctors who are regarded as specialists-in-training.
According to the government, the special allowances and specialist status being demanded by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), are only reserved for certified consultants.
The clarification was given by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, while explaining some of the issues causing friction between the government and the resident doctors.
Naijaonpoint reports that Salako, in a statement on Tuesday by the ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Alaba Balogun, said paying resident doctors the special allowances they are demanding would set off a chain reaction across the health sector, with other professional groups in various training stages making similar demands, a move the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission has already advised against.
Similarly, the Minister clarified that the government cannot interfere in procedures governed by independent regulatory bodies regarding the certification of professionals.
He made the submission while explaining the government’s position on accusations blaming the Federal Ministry of Health for the delay in issuing certain certificates.
Salako noted that the Ministry has no authority to alter the policies of professional colleges, adding that the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN), which oversees specialist medical training, does not issue certificates to doctors after the Part I examinations.
He stressed that this rule is not subject to ministerial control and, therefore, cannot be changed by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
“The claim that government is delaying certificates is not accurate. ...graduate Medical College does not issue certificates for Part I, and that is its established policy. We cannot override that process,” the Minister said.
Dr Salako gave assurances that the government remains committed to addressing all legitimate concerns of the Doctors within the provisions of the law, noting that substantial progress has been made in discussions with NARD as outstanding demands have been reduced from 19 to 9.