ARD President, who spoke to Vanguard on the phone in a shaking tone,said,”I have
been receiving anonymous calls from people threatening my life and that of my
family. One of the callers asked me what I want in UNTH. If I am not careful, it will
cost me something very dear.
“As a result, I have evacuated my family into hiding. I am targeted because I said
the truth. The people attacking me are beneficiaries of the ills going on in UNTH.”
All of this is happening following the indefinite strike action embarked on last weekend. by members of the union.
Below is the press release.
Friday, 16 October 2015
ARD UNTH Contact at 10:44
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF EMERGENCY CONGRESS OF
ASSOCIATION OF RESIDENT DOCTORS, UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA
TEACHING HOSPITAL, ITUKU OZALLA ENUGU STATE (ARD UNTH)
HELD ON FRIDAY 16TH OCTOBER, 2015 AT THE RESIDENT DOCTOR’S
COMMON ROOM, UNTH, ITUKU OZALLA, ENUGU STATE.
COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF EMERGENCY CONGRESS OF ASSOCIATION OF
RESIDENT DOCTORS, UNIVERSITY OF NIGERIA TEACHING HOSPITAL, ITUKU OZALLA ENUGU
STATE (ARD UNTH) HELD ON FRIDAY, 16 TH OCTOBER, 2015 AT THE RESIDENT DOCTOR’S
COMMON ROOM, UNTH, ITUKU OZALLA, ENUGU STATE.
PREAMBLE
The ARD UNTH held its Emergency Congress on Friday, 16 th October, 2015 at the Resident
Doctor’s common room to review the agreement reached with UNTH Management on 15th
September, 2015 in a meeting held at the instance of some Elders of the Medical Profession
in UNTH.
OBSERVATIONS
The congress noted as follows:
1) That the UNTH Management has reneged on the collective agreement which we
had with them on 15th September, 2015 during a meeting called at the instance of
some Medical elders in UNTH. This agreement was committed in writing by the CMD
of UNTH, Dr C. C. Amah.
2) That despite reneging on the agreement, the UNTH management ventured into
demoting Senior Registrars who have passed the requisite exams and promoted
duly. This was without any form of notice to the affected Senior Registrars.
3) That despite our resolution to recommence total and indefinite strike action if the
management reneges on the agreement, we still, in consideration of the patients of
UNTH and in giving peace and harmony further extension, gave the UNTH
Management seven working days ultimatum to retreat from their dangerous mission
and fulfill their own part of the agreement. This ultimatum expired on Thursday 15th
October, 2015.
4) That on Wednesday 14th October, 2015, the CMD of UNTH Dr C.C. Amah summoned
representatives of ARD UNTH and some of the medical elders in UNTH that served as
sureties to the agreement.
5) That most painfully, members noted that despite non-fulfillment of the promise
made as per the pay of house officers, UNTH management adopted a new position of
paying members 5% of the difference in their proper placement as against the 50%
agreed upon just less than a month ago.
6) That the management did not show any appreciable commitment towards meeting
their own part of the agreement nor reversing the illegal demotion of some of our
members.
7) That the deplorable state of facilities in UNTH has received no attention, as such,
patients in UNTH continues to suffer untoward hardship in the process of receiving
care in UNTH. For example, a situation where despite all our efforts, patients of
UNTH travel over 20 kilometers to Enugu town to do an investigation as simple as X-
ray is most appalling and disheartening. The continued and frequent cancellation of
scheduled surgical operations because of the absence of one consumable or the
other despite patients paying heavily for them will amongst other anomalies no
longer be tolerated.
8) That members have lost total confidence in UNTH Management under the
leadership of the Chief Medical Director Dr C. C. Amah. UNTH to say the truth is as
good as dead under this management and the need for a rescue mission cannot be
overemphasized.
9) That we regret that the UNTH management may have succeeded in dragging our
highly revered elders to disrepute again by reneging on an agreement which they
stuck out their neck to surety, considering that the promise made by UNTH
management was given a consideration in the first place because of the surety of
these medical elders. Members recalled that this was neither the first nor the second
time the Dr C. C. Amah led UNTH management is reneging on similar agreements
made in the presence and seal of the medical elders in UNTH.
10) That we noted that the managements of National Orthopaedic Hospital Enugu and
Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki have continued to comply fully with directives
of Federal Government as per the proper placement of Doctors while those of Nnamdi
Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital and Federal Medical Centre Owerri have done
so in part.
RESOLUTIONS
After an extensive deliberation, members resolved as follows;
1) The ARD UNTH will recommence total and indefinite strike action with immediate
effect. However, members especially those who offer critical care services at the
intensive care and new born special care units will have till 8am on Monday 19th
October, 2015 to tidy up their work and handover the management of the remaining
patients appropriately.
2) That the strike will remain total and indefinite, until all our demands especially as
it affects our patients and proper placement of our members are met.
3) Members will no longer take ANY promise from the UNTH Management under Dr C.
C. Amah as there has been a total and almost irredeemable breach of trust and
confidence. The changes must be seen and felt before industrial harmony will be
restored.
4) That our respect for the elders of Medical Profession in UNTH remain intact and
unshakeable, however it has repeatedly become obvious that the CMD has little or
no regards for their integrity which they built over years of hard work. Thus
members may no longer involve them in future mediations with the current
management of UNTH, to protect them from further insult and ridicule which the
action of UNTH Management is capable of bringing upon them. We can no longer
tolerate the recurrent tossing around of our teachers and mentors whom we hold
dearly and in very high esteem.
5) Once more, we appeal to the general public to bear with us as the struggle is for
the overall betterment of services offered by UNTH.
6) We call on President Muhammadu Buhari and all well-meaning individuals to come
to our rescue and that of the numerous Nigerians who depend on the services of
UNTH for their healthcare needs.
Signed:
Dr Ugwuoke Aloy Ifedinso Dr Ndiokwelu Chibuzo
President General Secretary
Dr Chukwuma C. Oraegbunam
Public Relations Officer
CC:
The President, Federal Republic of Nigeria
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation
The Head of Civil Service of the Federation
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Abuja
The Executive Governor of Enugu State
The CMD, UNTH
The CMAC, UNTH
The Director of Administration, UNTH
The Deputy Director, Finance, UNTH
The Chairman, NMA Enugu State
The Chairman, MDCAN UNTH Chapter
The President, NARD
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