President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, has described the scrapping of salary of medical house officers and other health interns by the Federal Government as a ‘ misplaced priority.’

Okhuaihesuyi said this during an interview on Sunday.

Okhuaihesuyi said that the NARD was making its investigation to confirm the veracity of the news and also wants the Nigerian Medical Association to look into the matter.

Recall that the Federal Government through the National Council of Establishment stopped the salaries of medical house officers.

Others categories of officers affected include dental house officers, nurse interns, pharmacist interns, medical laboratory science interns, and NYSC doctors.

Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan, had said that interns shall be considered for the payment of allowance to be determined by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.

According to her, this approval will be reflected in a subsequent edition of the schemes of service.

The implication is that the salaries of all health interns in Nigerian health institutions, including that of house job, have been removed from the payroll of the Federal Civil Service.

The NARD President also described the Federal Government’s action as reckless, saying it will escalate medical tourism.

He said, “The Federal Government by this action is encouraging doctors to travel out of the country more. When basically you can travel to Trinidad and Tobago and get paid up to 2,000 US dollars as a house officer, why would you want to work in Nigeria free?

“It is a misplaced priority. Those people in government making these laws, get paid allowances that they do not deserve.

“It is time Nigerians react to this and let us know where their priority lies. You cannot tell a man that has studied for seven years to come and work for you free after graduation.

“The people making these laws, in their own time were they not given car allowance and housing free? It is insensitive.

“It is a shame that the brain drain will become a brainstorm from now on.”

Okhuaihesuyi said the government would not be able to stop doctors from travelling out of the country to where they will get better pay and health insurance.

“Why should you be patriotic when the people you are trying to serve are not patriotic enough?” he asked.