We Didn’t Sack Consultant Physicians, Says National Hospital
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
The management of the National Hospital, Abuja, has denied allegations that it unilaterally relieved some medical consultants of their jobs.
A report had alleged that three experienced medical consultants were sacked effective from 31st March 2025 following a directive by the Chief Medical Director, National Hospital, Abuja, Dr. Raji Mahmud.
The aggrieved stakeholders said no tangible reason was given for the decision which they alleged was single-handedly taken by the CMD.
But the National Hospital management yesterday denied the allegation, saying no such thing happened.
It explained that what happened was that some medical consultants that have completed their residency training in the National Hospital and have been engaged on temporary arrangement popularly called Locum were laid off.
A statement signed by Mr. Maijamaa Adamu of the Information and Protocol Management Department at the National Hospital Abuja, said that those affected were engaged purely on an adhoc arrangement by the National Hospital, with a time frame of six months, renewable if conditions warrant.
The hospital said that only three consultants were affected by the decision.
“We wish to state in categorical terms that, the National Hospital does not even contemplate laying off any category of its staff, talk less of doctors/consultants whose services are of great value to the hospital and the nation in general.
“In fact, our recent joy stems from approval granted by the federal government to recruit certain numbers of doctors and nurses, and the recruitment exercise is being meticulously carried out by a panel of inter-agency representatives including supervisory ministries, in line with recruitment procedures of the federal government.
“Perhaps, the bone of contention is consultants that have completed their residency training in the National Hospital and have been engaged on temporary arrangement popularly called Locum.
“This is purely an adhoc arrangement of the National Hospital, with a time frame of six months, renewable if conditions warrant, and does not in any way amount to employment, which the hospital management does not have such mandate”.
Explaining further, Adamu said: “when employment opportunities arise, considerations are given to those consultants as was the case when in late 2023 permission was granted to the hospital for eighty-three slots of employment, ten of which were for consultants.
“In the magnanimity of the hospital management, all the ten slots were taken by the existing Locum Consultants in a bid to address the problem”.
Adamu further said: “For the avoidance of doubts, the official position is that, on completion of residency training such consultants are free to take their exit and seek for employment elsewhere in the absence of vacancy to absorb them in the National Hospital.
“Management in such circumstances gives six months exit notice to them as obtainable in other tertiary hospitals.
“Opting to retain them on the locum arrangement, is an extra magnanimous policy of the management that is mutually beneficial to both parties, and is absolutely subject to favourable operational conditions of the moment, as there is no formal commitment for absorption since that is beyond the powers of the hospital management”.
THISDAY gathered that despite explanations of the hospital management, the affected medical consultants have petitioned the Abuja Chapter of the Nigeria Medical Association and the Minister of Health and Social Welfare seeking their intervention.
