The Nigeria Governors’ Forum yesterday resolved to review the concerns of the resident doctors and interface with the Federal and State Ministries of health to address the concerns of resident doctors in the country by settling backlog of salaries where such existed.
This was decided after a presentation by the president of the National Association of Resident Doctors, Sokomba Aliyu, which conveyed the concerns of resident doctors including, among others, the non-implementation of residency training in most states, non-payment of salaries and the use of inappropriate salary structures in some states.
The governors agreed to reintegrate residency training in state hospitals where they had been suspended, provide protective equipment and ensure sustainable pathways to uphold the welfare of doctors in an effective and efficient manner.
They also resolved to engage with the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning to take on the new State Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) Additional Financing as grants to States following the momentum on fiscal accountability and sustainability generated by the current SFTAS programme.
The Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, assured state governments of the availability of about a million personal protective equipment for health workers in the various facilities throughout the country.
By Muideen Olaniyi,
Daily Trust