The recent strike actions plaguing the health industry has done more harm than good not only to the reputation of the health institutions and those who are charged with the responsibilities of providing quality health care services to the public; but has also seen those on the inside lose confidence in the system and amongst their rank and file. It’s a situation of utmost quagmire and the forces at play are either unperturbed or simply enveloped in self-aggrandizement to realize that everybody’s business is nobody’s business in the end and failing to take charge of the situation will only result in further divergences in opinion. It is with this pitiful purview that the current situation at the Federal Neuro Psychiatry Hospital, Yaba is presented to the public.

To say that The Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Yaba (FNPHY) is in deplorable condition would be an understatement! A casual walk through the facility will quickly produce an image of derelict infrastructure and equipment. Consulting rooms are accidents waiting to happen with few broken chairs and torn upholstery. There are no functioning ACs and the fans move as though powered by snails. The heat is quite unbearable, it’s little wonder how the Doctors manage to keep sane. The tension however, is palpable. Patients are sometimes made to stand during consultation because the alternative is to sustain injury to person and clothing while perched on the death traps casually referred to as chairs. For the doctors, this poses another level of threat because one doesn’t need a degree in psychiatry to understand the dangers in having a psychiatric patient towering over you during a consultation session.

Though much effort and compromise has been invested in righting these wrongs, sadly frustration has been the only recompense for the doctors in concern. It is at the recent turn of events that the Association of Resident Doctors in the Hospital decided to cry out to the public; for them to be the judge and weigh in this situation.

Federal Neuro-Psychiatry Hospital, Yaba; asides being an institution meant to care for the mentally ill, is also a training centre where residents undergo training to become specialists in this discipline. As a medical training establishment, there are certain expectations placed on FNPHY either by law or through customary practice. These expectations or practices have far reaching effects on the residents, who are direct recipients of these activities. Some of these effects are social, developmental or welfare related and to a large degree shape the careers of these Psychiatrists in training. Many waters have passed beneath the bridge and it will be fool hardy to catalogue all the issues doctors have gone on strike for over the past 2 years. However, the recent strike action at FNPHY was precipitated by the following occurrences- inadequate security as there are limited security personnel to provide protection of lives and property, deplorable work conditions, refusal to pay the doctors a monthly allowance approved by the Federal Government since January 2015 and finally; refusal to disburse money to fund the doctors training courses in other hospitals, which forms a key part of their overall residency training.

The interesting thing however, is that unlike other strike actions in recent times, these grievances are not aimed at the government but rather at the management of FNPHY. Fingered in this case for culpability, includes the Medical Director and other top members of the hospital’s management team. The reasons funds released by the Federal Government for specific purposes has not been remitted as expected is the first issue vexing the doctors on strike. Second, is the call for intense scrutiny into the management and its functions; especially with regards to the approved funds in question.

It was said that despite an increment in budgetary allowance for personnel of over 200% from January 2015, the management of FNPHY cut off training for all courses claiming that the Government never allocated funds for training and it was only as an act of good will that the Hospital had been partially sponsoring training courses in the past.

We urge you to recall; last year when doctors went on a nationwide 2 months strike and the Government consented to their demands. One of the demands successfully granted was for Medical Doctors to skip a grade level as other health workers were already doing. The skipping was meant to commence January 2015 and hospital management all over the nation have slowly started to implement the policy except FNPHY. The Medical Director categorically stated that he was waiting on a circular from Federal Government to nullify skipping. Under what auspices will a policy passed into law and already being implemented by other member bodies in an organisation suddenly change to favour a contrary motion? Further, the management of FNPHY insisted that when Federal Government paid the allocated money into its account, it didn’t come with a memo to implement skipping. However, a circular from the former Head of Civil Service of the Federation referenced HCSF/EPO/EIR/63755/T1/192; keeping with a court judgement on the approval of the skipping policy had been sent to the Management and Board of the FNPHY.

The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) Yaba hereby crave the indulgence of the relevant agencies and all well-meaning Nigerians to wade into the matter. To conduct a detailed probe into the issues that plague the institution vis-a-vis misappropriation of funds, documented evidence of ghost workers, the plight of the mentally ill (though of no apparent political significance, but is of extreme public health importance for dangers posed to themselves and others) and many other issues that cannot be fully explicated.

The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Yaba wishes to appeal to the general public most especially clients/ patients and families who have been denied affordable medical care to bear with them as their industrial action enters its 5th week. The Doctors are saddened by the hardship this industrial action has caused their clients/ patients and though painful, has to be done because they have been pushed to the wall by the relentless actions and negligence of the Medical Director Dr Rahman Abolore Lawal. All attempts to logically resolve the issues have met a brick wall.

The above mentioned issues are the reasons the resident doctors in FNPHY have been on strike and the hospital management have showed no signs of budging. Rather, acts of victimization and assassination of character have become the order of the day. We blame the government for all of Nigeria’s problems, what about now that the government has done its part…. The doctors simply want their rights and the rights of their patients upheld.

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freeman if i catch u

NIGERIA!

They'll be going to India, Germany etc leaving us behind

Nigeria should be ashamed of herself!!!! We have a very discouraging doctor:patient ratio!!!! Yet our politicians care more about their pockets than on health care delivery!!!

Very amazing how politicians in Nigeria care less about the ordinary citizens. If efcc agrees to open the books of federal health parastatals, the findings will make the prisons congested lol... The cabal in the health sector will however prevent this from happening. I feel sorry for PMB, may God help him.