Minister Salako Explains Why Medical House Officers Can’t Be Classified As Civil Servants
Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Salako, says medical house officers cannot be part of the civil service scheme.
He explained they are temporary interns, not regular government employees with pension rights.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, has said that medical and dental house officers cannot be placed under the federal civil service scheme because they are not regular government employees.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, Dr. Salako addressed issues raised by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), which is currently on strike. He explained that house officers are recent medical or dental graduates undergoing a one-year internship and are only temporarily engaged.
“They are not permanent staff. Therefore, it is not possible to classify them as civil servants. Would they, for example, be entitled to pension benefits? Certainly not,” he said.
Dr. Salako added that the internship program is a mandatory training period before participants proceed to national service or formal employment, stressing that including them in the civil service would create administrative and financial challenges. He also noted that internship placements extend beyond doctors to include nurses, pharmacists, and physiotherapists.
Consultant cadre and dismissal issues
On the controversy surrounding the creation of a consultant cadre for non-medical doctors, Dr. Salako clarified that the policy was not introduced by the current administration.
“This was inherited by this government. The only way forward is mutual dialogue among the professional groups to restore harmony across health institutions,” he said.
He also addressed the dismissal of five resident doctors from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, revealing that a three-member review committee had been set up to reassess the disciplinary process. Two of the affected doctors have already appeared before the panel, while the other three will be reabsorbed into other hospitals outside Lokoja if willing.
Government appeals to striking doctors
Dr. Salako reaffirmed the government’s commitment to resolving the ongoing strike through dialogue and urged the striking doctors to return to work in good faith. He said the ministry had been working to address their demands, including unpaid salaries, delayed promotions, and payroll irregularities.
“Mr. President particularly values the service of doctors and other health professionals. If it were possible, we would pay them N50 million monthly because their work is invaluable,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, Dr. Yahaya Adamu, said consultants have been mobilized to sustain essential services despite the strike, assuring that patients on admission and emergency cases are still receiving care.
