 Welcome once again to the breakfast on plus TV Africa now We are going to be talking about the National Association of Resident doctors that have decided to call of their strike Which last set for about 64 days. We're sick in this morning with the president. Dr. Goodie is shayams president National Association of Resident doctors. Good morning. Dr. Shaya. Thanks for joining us Great to have you on the program. Let's start with Recent events it's announced that you have called of the strike or suspended the strike. Can you share with us? Why exactly that is? Well, thank you very much for having me again we we we met on Sunday the October and Celebrate and reappear the issues that let us to Go on strike on the second one of 2021 I'll have a reappraise the progress that was made from both the federal and the state government and particularly Not in the first show of both men and some of the commitments that they met it The neck the emergency next Resolved that we should suspend the strike Because some of the items in our demands were submitted because of the ongoing strike and also the invocation of the article 43 of the threat dispute act by the federal government so we Resolved that we should suspend the strike for a period of six weeks So that we can give the government time To implement some of those things that we were at helmet with them Okay, before we go into details because I know I've gotten Release that was put up by the N. A. R. D. I want you to first, you know, talk about What the effect of the strike has been in the last, you know, two months How much has it affected health care delivery in Nigeria? Well, the Strike up in bed. Well, we're very effective And it was able to force most of this commitment that we have gotten We actually regret that we have to go on strike to be able to force the government to Do some of these things that they could actually do it without Letting us to embark on any strike action When we embark on the strike action the government adopted a posture of not wanting to meet with us and And we were taken to the national industrial force So that's all most of the deliberations or rather engagement that we were supposed to have with the government so with the recent posture of the government of wanting to come back to the negotiating table and Implementing some of those demands that we Went on the strike for We felt it was good for us to resume and start rendering services to those Nigerians who cannot afford to go abroad for medical tourism or that cannot afford the bills of private hospitals So that was the reason most of the reasons that we have to Suspend this our strike All right, I also speak now on Some clarity with the moves that the government has made so far That made the NIRD think it was fine that they of course suspend the strike What steps has the government currently taken? the move that was initiated upon the government side that met of suspended strike was that You know the just as I mentioned earlier they involved the article 43 of the trade dispute act and Said they weren't going to pay off even the medical residency Who are the action the government to pay and some of the Positions of the government Before before this payment was met was was was was not the one that we call easily trust them with Because the the medical residency training Areas rather Was captured under service-wide votes. Yes, and we were Not comfortable with the fact that it was on that service-wide vote because service-wide vote is known if nobody's budget so They said that they weren't going to pay us all to re-jump up to work and That was clearly a position that can be Anybody can suspect once you have captured the medical residency fund Into a service-wide vote Which is no more? No, we can't click a claim was on it And then you are saying you will not pay us until we resume back to work So it was very suspicious move And the government maintain that position and also maintain that they were not going to pay us our salary but with recent engagements a Government was able to commit and start paying the medical residency fund and They were we open to discussion on the withhold salary So we felt with this one with other issues that will actually require that we have we should come back to work before Determine will be affected We put everything together are we appraise all the issues and we felt that we should give development six weeks to To implement those positions that We we recently Go on. I want you to share the you know clarify exactly the challenge with the Is it gif miss now gif miss? and IPP is What what is the challenge that the NIRD has with? the payment platform gif miss Well, that's the other part I was telling you that we had a helmet on that we View it that we had to give some window to see the implementation You know, they were this our resident doctors who were hit or two on gif miss platform Yeah, most of them have been captured on the IPPS platform but they need to be paid at least a month salary on the IPPS platform before the area will be pushed into their account and We realize that the government have adopted a position that they will not pay us because we are on strike So we got to a position where we were at helmet So we now resolved that okay with within these six weeks The government would have been able to pay them at least a month salary and into their account and then push the Areas subsequently so that was the position we felt will be will be fear and Good for both parties Okay, and and is there Some level of trust that the NIRD has with the government because it's not the first time that a strike has been suspended Only for the NIRD to once again go back on strike after the government failed To of course who feel the promises that were made So why does the NIRD feel different this time? We haven't felt any difference, but we saw some commitment that were possible and Just as I said the postural Who are changed? So we want to see if we can do a tether attack with the government and see That they continue to move in the right direction While we still give them the benefit of the doubt that they will follow through to their promises Okay, are there still discussions on hazard allowances and incrementing some of those figures The hazard allowance have been on that discussion My association Is been led by the Nigerian Medical Association and the other helpers have been led by the joint Union so The discussion has largely been that Both parties have agreed that The others allow us to need to be improved upon And we had a lot of discussions The agreement was largely between the joint health sector Who wanted the flat rates hazard allow us to be paid? while our association led by the Nigerian Medical Association wanted that The percentage of our better salary be used as a business for payment for the Hazard allowance So the discussion is still going on It's just that the discussion is going on in the center in a very slow slow phase and we Call on the government and still encourage the government to Espadite action on that so that the discussion will will be more frequent And we eventually reach Agreement on the position on how the hazard allowance should be paid Okay, I also want you to show on something because from the Communicator was issued. It says here the NEC noted the non-resolution of the the following perennial issues It says non-payment of salary areas or short salary shortfalls of 2014 to 2016 to our members Despite several engagements with the federal government. Is there a likelihood that the 2014 to 2016 shortfalls will be paid? the position on that was that they Want all the health at the union within the health sector to be treated as one because all all the health sector Union are the government is owing them some amount regarding that 2014-2015-2016 so We had Discussion and it was agreed that it has been captured so it was for the state of finance was a community of finance rider who Activate processes of getting that money paid to all the unions including our Our union Okay, I'm just going to keep pointing out some of the the things that have not been resolved yet that there's also a challenge with the Delay in rather in the payment of death in service insurance benefits to next of kins of the fallen doctors or the doctors who lost their lives While in service and that also includes a COVID-19 inducement allowances You know is this discussion discussions are still ongoing Yes We discovered that Some next of kins to those our disease colleagues have not activated the processes from From their hospitals So but those who are actually activated and completed it was some of them were paid and We agreed on the fact that we will ensure that those processes Will be activated from the hospitals and then we will follow it up With the government we showed that the debt in service benefits have been paid to the next of kins Dr. Ashaia, can you can you if possible clarify with Nigerians? How much exactly? gets to The next of kin I'm asking if you can clarify with us if possible and what the amount that goes to the next of kin is how much is it? Hello Can you hear us dr. Asha? Can you hear me now? Yes, I can hear you. I'm asking if you can clarify if possible. How much exactly is paid to next of kin of doctors that are dying service. Oh My yeah, I can't get that Okay, let's talk about something else. I'm guessing we'll come back to that Before we come back to that tell us a little bit more about the brain drain That is happening across the Nigerian health sector in the time that the doctors have been on strike at them Members of the NERD that have left Nigeria. Dr. Ashaia, can you hear us? Hello Can you hear me clearly? Yeah, I can hear you now I'm asking that you speak a little bit about the brain drain and doctors leaving Nigeria to work in other countries in the period that You've been on strike. Have there been many more doctors leaving? Yes And many many more of our colleagues have left the show of this country to countries where they feel There they will be better taking care of no, there are a lot of factors that are It's causing a lot of this our colleagues to want to go to other countries where they feel They are will be better off You if you look at part of this our demands, what we are trying to fight is actually Part of that is pushing them away you can you don't expect that a Health worker or a doctor is working in an environment where he has got For like 20 months Ten months or four months as it is Doctors and health workers are just like any other human beings that will want to see that they are they are they are they are progress economically and as well academically so you can see where where where where when you have over from a particular part of the world That is better than what you have within your country. You would definitely want to accept that offer security situation in the country also The education sector is another thing so a lot of this factor when the opportunity presents themselves you see that people are Our colleagues are testing those offers and Leaving the show of this country So our association will continue to fight for our colleagues continue to fight for the improvement of the welfare of colleagues and Eventually it will be to the benefit of the whole Nigerian citizen and Nigerian master Because if we don't do that The brain brain will keep on going on and we will end up not having People to even turn younger ones to man the health sector So the blend then is not only affecting the service, but it will also affect the training of Younger ones coming up. So this is a course that our association is championing and Order to keep the health worker the brightest Within the country It also share your thoughts on the the challenge is on at the state level because it's not just a federal government problem now There are certain state governments that have also failed to pay doctors, I believe How is that also being addressed? Yeah, we really appreciate the efforts of some state governments like it said like Delta state They have been saying even better than the federal facilities within within the state They said like Borno Also, they've paid training allowances To their doctors and are also paying very good renumeration What also said like Benway who have adopted and implemented The medical residency training act and they are working hard to implement the medical So we Call on all the states who are yet to do that Come and Join those states in doing The good work they are doing so that together we can stem the type of brain From our country and if our breakfast mine In the country to continue to take care of All right, I think you're throwing about two final questions I want to go back to a question that I asked before if you can hear me now. I Want I want you to speak on what the Next of keen allowance is What are the figures like? Well, I'm not it depends on the grade level of the particular Patients involved and It depends on the grade level that the disease was In before Before before the fact of the mic So that that will determine the amount To be given to the next of teams It is Amount it has not fixed amount for for all of the People involved Yeah, can you can you share with us, you know, and you know any figure for the doctor on the highest grade level? What does the next of keen get it when that doctor passes in service? Okay, the figures the number of people who are No, no, not the number dr. Shaya. This is what I'm trying to do I'm just what I'm trying to get Nigerians to understand When we lose a doctor in service either because of COVID-19 or because of you know occupational hazards What exactly does the family get to benefit and that's some of the conversations that we're having this morning And you are also having with the government. So I'm trying to create a picture here Is it up to a million Naira that the next of keen gets for a doctor that dies in service the highest level, you know A doctor is it up to two million Naira? Is it a hundred thousand? That's what I'm trying to get here Okay, can you share with us any figure? That is why I told you that it depends on the grade level of the colleague that died Yeah, so so a doctor on the highest grade Dr. Ishaia what happens after six weeks if the government fails to Fulfill its promises If the government says to fulfill the promises or we didn't see it's meaningful progress on What we agree with the government? We are going to revert back to our neck and the neck the neck will take the appropriate decision and Communicate it Okay. All right, um, Dr. Guria Ishaia We'd like to speak with you again as quickly as possible I'm not sure why you know you either, you know, just conveniently didn't hear or answer that particular question On the necks of keen allowances and what they should be But we'd like to speak with you again as soon as possible hopefully before the end of the next six weeks or beyond but Thanks for joining us this morning, and we wish you a very beautiful week ahead Thank you very much absolutely All right, and I think that's where we will be wrapping it up this morning a lot of times these conversations come up You know, and I remember that we've also had similar conversations in the past to try and understand what figures are When doctors are making these demands, okay, it's 5,000 now. We are currently receiving as I said allowance What would you like to receive? Somehow some way, you know, there's just never a figure put out and pretty much the same thing And that's the reason that question kept coming back What exactly do next of kin of doctors receive when they pass in service? If you know doctor dies as you know result of COVID-19 infection or some other reason while he's in service What is this family expected to get is it a hundred thousand five hundred thousands a million naira five million baby? Because I know we've had similar conversations like this, you know, Nigerian policemen And you know how much their families get if they die in service policemen have complained bitterly about Families being kicked out of you know They are police quarters after the the man dies in service and numerous things like that But somehow some way, you know, we just never get those figures when we ask But thank you anyway for being a part of the program this morning Once again apologies for not being able to have the conversation on zoning We would have to reschedule that Wish you're very interested to use their head if you missed out on any of the discussions this morning from off the press to today in history Remember where to catch up with simply and close to the Africa on Facebook and Instagram Same without YouTube channel at plus TV Africa do subscribe. I am also gay. Oh boy. Have a great Tuesday