Sanwo- Olu meets doctors, grants their requests

LAGOS State Government, yesterday, said there was no need for doctors in the state to have joined their colleagues in other states to embark on the strike called by the National Association of Resident Doctors ( NARD).

The state governor, Babajide Sanwo- Olu, at a meeting in his office at Alausa, Ikeja, said the state government had performed its duties to them.

He, however, promised to address other standing issues.

According to the state’s Commissioner for Information, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso: “The circular issued by the Head of Service ( HOS) removing Housemanship and NYSC doctors from the scheme of service, which was part of the grouse of the striking doctors, was discussed.

“The resident doctors appealed to the governor to revoke or suspend the circular. The HOS explained the importance of domesticating decisions made at the federal level. It was decided that there would be a follow- on circular to clarify the implications of the circular and allay any fear that may have arisen from its misinterpretation.

“The Medical Residency Training Act, which makes provision for sponsorship of resident doctors training to be specialists in federal or state medical schools, was also discussed. The governor, who had promised to fully sponsor resident doctors in the state ( 100 per cent of the fund), directed full implementation of the state’s support of both the exams and update courses that lead to qualification as specialists in various fields of medicine.”

According to him, the governor approved the recruitment of over 150 new resident doctors and medical officers to reduce the human resource deficit in the public service of the state to improve the patient- doctor ratio in the state hospitals.

The governor, he said, approved the commencement of the building of the medical residents quarters at LASUTH, as well as other medical staff quarters across the state.

“On the discrepancy between the remuneration packages of the state and federal doctors in the public service, the governor approved the final tranche of 25 per cent difference to complete the harmonisation,” Omotoso said.