Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH, Ituku Ozalla, Enugu State, has renewed its demand for the immediate removal of the hospital’s Chief Medical Director, CMD, Dr. Christopher Amah.
This is also as it disowned a media report calling for the suspension of the ongoing industrial action by the doctors.
Two doctors operating under the aegis of Concerned Resident Doctors had in a press statement on Monday announced the discontinuation of the strike, accusing the ARD leadership of fighting an unjust cause.
However, reacting to the development yesterday, the ARD Public Relations Officer, Dr. Chukwuma Oraegbunam, said the two doctors were not its genuine members.
The statement read: “The attention of the leadership of Association of Resident Doctors, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (ARD UNTH), Ituku Ozalla, Enugu State has been drawn to the press statement by Dr Maxwell Egbugara and one Dr Ihechiluru Onyebuchi, disowning the leadership of Dr Ugwuoke Aloy Ifedinso, president of ARD UNTH.
“We wish to state categorically that there is no form of leadership crisis in ARD UNTH and the current demand for the sack of CMD, Dr. C. C. Amah is based on verifiable fact and was a decision of a well-constituted and attended congress of ARD UNTH.
“While the name Dr Ihechiluru Onyebuchi does not exist in our membership register, we express pity that Dr. Egbugara, who had been expelled from Residency training before because of his inability to meet up with the requirements of retaining and completing the programme in Obstetrics and Gynaecology will summon courage to write against the leadership of the body that has provided succour and support for him because of nepotism.
“It is plain truth that Egbugara is a close relative of Dr Amah, and it is on record that Amah in his usual corrupt manner re-recruited the sacked Egbugara into the residency training programme clearly and glaringly against the due process.”
It added, “We are, therefore, not surprised that Egbugara, who was in the meeting where our decision to withdraw services and fight down the incompetent CMD, will play pawn in Amah’s hands, at whose mercies he remains a staff of UNTH.
“Egbugara knows his time is up. If Amah falls, as he soon will, he falls too as no new CMD will keep a man on residency for over 16 years in a department as demanding as Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
“It is obvious that the CMD, Dr Amah, cannot possibly come up with appropriate defense for his inhumanity to the patients and staff of UNTH brought about by his incompetence and love for corrupt practices, hence his decision to attempt this divide-and-rule game which is dead on arrival.
“We encourage him to keep up with the emergency and swift changes he is making in UNTH following our public outcry as these may help reduce down his jail term, because we are convinced he will not only be sacked but will also be made to pay for the pains he put patients and staff of UNTH through his period of bad, incompetent and wicked leadership.
“Our President, Dr Ugwuoke Ifedinso, continues to enjoy the full confidence of members of ARD UNTH even as he gallantly leads the association in this freedom fight.” (National Mirror)
