Nigeria Medical Association Rejects Doctors' Sack

The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has rejected the sack of the nation's 16,000 public sector doctors which was announced yesterday.

The resident doctors, who have been on strike since July 1, were suspended indefinitely on the orders of President Goodluck Jonathan.

The President of the NMA, Dr. Kayode Obembe said:

“NMA condemns in totality the alleged presidential directive via the Federal Ministry of Health suspending Residency Training Programme in Nigeria," Obembe said.

“NMA demands the immediate withdrawal of the suspension circular and unconditional reinstatement of the so-called sacked resident doctors.

“Government should show commitment on her part in resolving the current impasse with the NMA rather than resorting to punitive measures that will only further aggravate the already deplorable situation."

The organization is demanding the immediate reversal of the letter which communicated the sack and is instructing all doctors to reject any sack letter given to them.

Obembe further said that the strike would continue until the government meets the demands of the aggrieved doctors.