By Chioma Obinna
Medical doctors under the auspices of the Medical Guild on Sunday called on the state Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to immediately intervene in a series of unresolved issues that it says have weakened the state’s healthcare system and worsened the welfare of doctors.The Medical Guild is an umbrella body of doctors under the employ of the state government.Speaking at a press briefing ahead of its 2025 Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference which started yesterday, the Chairman of the Medical Guild, Dr. Moruf Abdulsalam, said the association could no longer tolerate the long-standing neglect of critical welfare, infrastructure, and policy issues affecting its members.“We would like to bring to your attention several lingering problems which remain unresolved, for which we continue to seek answers from the Lagos State Government,” Dr. Abdulsalam said. “We call on Mr Governor to give the necessary directives and deploy resources toward resolving these issues, including the timely completion of the doctors’ quarters in Odan, Lagos, and the residents’ quarters in LASUTH, Ikeja.”Abdulsalam described the Medical Guild as an institution committed to advocating for better health policies and the protection of doctors’ rights and welfare.“We gather periodically from the nooks and crannies of Lagos State to appraise, advocate, network, and further the cause of healthcare delivery on behalf of ourselves, the medical profession, and the good people of Lagos State who have entrusted us with their health and well-being,” he said.According to him, several critical issues have remained unresolved for years, including the non-completion of renovation at the Doctors’ Quarters in Odan and the abandonment of the LASUTH quarters. He also highlighted the continued enforcement of what he called a “draconian bonding policy,” which compels doctors to serve an extra year beyond the approved in-service training duration.Other unresolved problems, he listed include the demotion of specialist consultants due to incorrect entry points into public service, non-payment of teaching allowances to Level 12 medical officers, failure to deduct contributory pensions and NHF for resident doctors as required by law, and the absence of a comprehensive health insurance package for doctors.Abdulsalam said the persistence of these problems has discouraged doctors from joining in-service training programmes, worsening the shortage of specialists and placing enormous strain on the few remaining. He noted that morale has declined sharply due to loss of income and unfavourable working conditions, leading to reduced interest among young doctors in pursuing specialist training in Lagos.He also recalled the preventable elevator crash of August 1, 2023, which claimed the life of a doctor at the General Hospital, Odan. He lamented that more than two years after the tragedy, the state government had not provided a lasting solution.“Despite our agitations for prompt rehabilitation and restoration of a functional lift system, the hope of seeing timely rehabilitation—with functional elevators, reliable utilities, and safe living conditions—has been dashed,” he said.The Chairman noted that this year’s conference theme, “The No-Bed Conundrum and Safe Referral: Exploring an Integrated and Effective Referral System in Lagos,” aims to evaluate the factors limiting access to quality and timely healthcare in the state.He explained that a functional referral system requires clear coordination among healthcare professionals and institutions to ensure continuity of care.“For a referral system to work at its best, all levels of healthcare need to function optimally,” he said. “Each facility must be clear about its roles, responsibilities, and limitations.”He added that the sub-theme, “Workplace Situational Awareness Among Doctors,” was designed to help doctors handle difficult patients, identify verbal and non-verbal cues, and prevent crises such as assault and litigation.Abdulsalam also outlined several achievements recorded under his tenure before his expected handover to the next chairman, including the prompt payment of revised CONMESS and arrears, registration of the Medical Guild as a corporate entity, completion of processes leading to the award of a Certificate of Occupancy for the Guild’s land, acquisition of title documents for construction, and equitable allocation of housing units donated by the Lagos State Government.Despite the challenges, he expressed appreciation to Governor Sanwo-Olu for his efforts to reposition healthcare through the THEMES+ agenda, and commended medical directors and medical officers of health for their ongoing support.He reaffirmed the Guild’s collaboration with the state government and assured that the Guild remains committed to contributing to the advancement of healthcare in Lagos.The Medical Guild also declared its support for the ongoing strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, which has crippled services in training and specialist centres nationwide.It urged the Federal Government to immediately meet the 19-point demands of NARD and conclude the ongoing bargaining process with NARD and the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA.
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