The National Association of Resident Doctors has called for the state governors to fully implement the Chief Medical Residency Training Act (MRTA), saying that this has become imperative in regulating residency programs across Nigeria’s hospitals.
The call was made during a press conference following NARD’s 44th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference held in Abeokuta, Ogun State, where he lamented the lack of funds for residency training, especially in the Teaching Hospitals.
He stressed that the Residency Act would strengthen the integrity of medical residency in Nigeria, ensuring the continuous training of doctors in key specializations rather than the proliferation of inadequately trained personnel, which could compromise patient care.
The National President of the National Association of Resident Doctors Dr. Tope Osundara, urged the governments to prioritise the implementation of the act noting that without such a legal framework, residency programmes in various hospitals remain vulnerable to arbitrary suspension by Medical Directors for unspecified reasons.
“The Chief Medical Residency Training Act serves as a policy that ensures residency programmes within hospitals are standardised and regulated,” he said.
“Without this regulation, hospitals could risk having unqualified personnel or see Medical Directors halting training programs at will.”
The national president also lamented the lack of funding for medical residency training, stating that doctors should not have to bear the financial burden of their training.
He pointed out that resident doctors are not only providing medical services but also conducting research, which requires financial subvention from the government.
“The lack of political will has hindered the proper funding of medical residency training across various states, especially in teaching hospitals,” he added.
According to him, some governors have failed to domesticate the MRTA, further compounding the challenges faced by resident doctors.
He called on state governments to follow the lead of governors like Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, who has taken steps to domesticate the MRTA, ensuring that resident doctors receive the necessary support.
