The Association of Resident Doctors, Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso chapter, Oyo State on Thursday rejected the purported transfer of 55 of its members by the state government.
Dr. Sebastine Oiwoh, the ARD Chairman, while reacting to the development in Ogbomoso, described the state government’s action as “illegal and unwarranted”.
The transfer of 55 resident doctors to other hospitals and ministry was stated in a memo signed by A.M Ajiferuke, the Secretary, Board of Management.
The memo, dated December 27, stated that the directive was given by the Oyo State Government, the owner of the facility.
“Kindly find below the list of transferred staff as directed by the Oyo State Government and approved by the Board at its meeting held on Thursday, December 21, 2017,” the memo reads in part.
The ARD chairman said the affected doctors have been instructed by the association not to collect the transfer letters, pointing out that the action was illegal.
According to Oiwoh: “We heard that some of our members have been transferred outside the hospital to other hospitals and the ministry across the state.
“I can tell you that the transfer is dead on arrival.”
Oiwoh said transfer of the doctors was against medical practice.
The ARD chairman said resident doctors could not be transferred according to the structure of their training.
He said: “Resident doctors are not medical officers that can be transferred.
“If the hospital is not accredited for their training, then they are allowed to go out as supernumerary in accredited institutions.
“But this is not what Oyo State Government has done.
“This anomaly will be resisted within the legal ambits.”