NARD Logo
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) are opposing a bill from Nigeria’s House of Representative mandating Nigeria-trained medical and dental practitioners to practice for at least five years before given full licence.
NARD disclosed this in a communique issued at the end of an emergency extended National Officers’ Committee (NOC) meeting of the association that was held virtually over the weekend.
According to the statement, the resident doctors expressed shock by the action of the sponsor of the bill, Honourable Ganiyu Johnson (APC/Lagos).
“The extended NOC observed with shock and disappointment, the infuriating attempts by Honourable Ganiyu Abiodun Johnson and the Federal House of Representatives to enslave Nigerian-Trained Medical Doctors for five years post-graduation before they can be issued full practicing licenses or allowed to travel abroad if they so wished,” the communique read.
“The extended NOC decried the inability of the Federal Government to review the CONMESS salary structure despite several promises, even with the imminent change in Government.”
The association are also worried about the downgrading of the membership certificate of the West African Postgraduate Colleges by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
NARD pledged to summon an extraordinary National Executive Council Meeting in a fortnight to review the issues raised with the view to determining their next line of action.
Writing by Tersoo Nicholas