By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has commended the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Charles Soludo, for his intervention following the assault of a resident doctor at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Awka, describing the state’s response as a significant example in the association’s campaign for the protection of healthcare workers.
The commendation came during a visit by the NARD National President, Dr. Muhammad Usman Suleiman, to Anambra, where he led a delegation that included the President of the Association of Resident Doctors, COOUTH, Dr. Joy Okwumuo, on a courtesy visit to the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike.
Onyokomita recalls that the assault, which occurred at the hospital’s Accident and Emergency Department on March 4, involved a doctor who was attending to victims brought in during a mass-casualty situation following an explosion. NARD had earlier condemned the incident and called for an investigation, formal apology and compensation for the affected doctor, as well as improved security around critical areas of the hospital.
Suleiman said the subsequent intervention by the Anambra State Government, which he said resulted in an apology and compensation for the doctor, had set the state apart in the association’s national advocacy for justice and safety for medical personnel.
Beyond the assault issue, the NARD president praised Soludo over the welfare of resident doctors, particularly the payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF). He described the Anambra governor as the first governor in the country to implement the revised salary structure for resident doctors following the Federal Government’s adjustment, while also claiming that the state currently pays the highest MRTF among state governments and the Federal Government.
He explained that the residency training fund was important to the development of specialist doctors because it supports their acquisition of the knowledge and skills required for advanced medical practice. According to him, sustained investment in residency training would also encourage doctors to remain committed to their professional development and patient care.
The NARD delegation also acknowledged the administration’s investment in health infrastructure, particularly the Trauma Centre at COOUTH, Amaku, ongoing efforts to secure accreditation for departments at the teaching hospital and the construction of a Universal Health Centre at the University of Medical Sciences.
The association equally commended the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Afam Obidike, for what it described as his leadership and support for healthcare workers, saying his approach had contributed to industrial harmony and the development of the state’s health sector.
Suleiman described Soludo as a “friend, father and mentor” to resident doctors and expressed the association’s willingness to sustain its collaboration with the Anambra Government towards improving specialist training and healthcare delivery.
