Nigeria’s sacked doctors insist on recall letters

The National President, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr. Osahon Enabulele, had directed members of the Lagos State Medical Guilds to resume work on Monday but not without their letters of recall. Enabulele, who gave the directive on Sunday while addressing a news conference in Lagos, added that since the state government had decided to reinstate them, it must back it up with the letters of recall.

“For legal implications and documentation, if a worker was dismissed with a sack letter, same worker ought to be reinstated with a recall letter. Can a worker go to a place of work without a letter of authority; they need a letter of authority to start work.

“There is no confusion over date of resumption, if government will make the letters of resumption available today, Lagos doctors will resume work today. We have asked Lagos doctors to resume, but the Medical Guilds are waiting for letters of recall, though federal doctors will resume immediately,“ Enabulele said.

The Lagos State Government on May 31 recalled the 788 sacked doctors by announcing that they could all go back to work as it had decided to reinstate them

Enabulele, however, advised the government not to victimise or intimidate any doctor that took part in the strike.

Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Professor David Oke, said that the recall letters would be ready for collection as from June 4.

Oke, in a telephone interview with NAN, said that the decision to write the letters was taken by the government last Friday

The CMD said that in LASUTH alone, no fewer than 400 letters were ready for collection, adding that the letters were for all cadres of medical doctors including, house officers, medical officers, resident doctors, consultant and senior consultants, as well as honorary consultants, whose honorary consultancy was terminated during the period.

He said that the recall letters was only to withdraw the sack letters and acknowledge that it had been withdrawn.

“The doctors were dismissed in the first place and the letter is to withdraw the sack, acknowledge that it has been withdrawn and for them to resume work immediately,“ he said.

Oke confirmed that there were no conditions attached to the letters