The Federal Government has stamped out the monthly payment of medical house officers and interns on the existing Consolidated Medical Salary Scale (CONMESS) from the payroll of the civil service.
Housemanship is a paid mandatory service for a one-year period after graduating from medical school during which newly qualified doctors and other interns practice under supervision in designated hospitals across the country.
The decision to scrap the payment was effected through the National Council of Establishment (NCE), which is the highest decision making body in the civil service.
The directive was contained in a circular issued on April 12, 2021, to the NCE by the office of the Head of Civil Service, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan.
Yemi-Esan disclosed that reviewed the current status of internship and housemanship programmes at its 42nd meeting held in Lagos on November 30, 2020.
The circular read in part, “The National Council on Establishments approved their removal from the Schemes of Service as posts attracting grade levels in the salary structure.
“The Council based its decision on the grounds that the period of these programmes forms part of the training in their respective professions.
“Interns shall, however, be considered for the payment of allowance to be determined by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.
“This approval will be reflected in the subsequent edition of the Schemes of Service,” the statement read.
Those affected on the existing consolidated medical salary scale as medical house officers, pharmacist interns, medical laboratory science interns and NYSC doctors.
There are palpable fears that the development may not be unconnected to recent protests and outrage on social media over non-payment or partial remunerations made to house officers and interns.
Similar demonstrations have taken place at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital and Jos University Teaching Hospital where house officers and other interns were captured carrying banners outside the premises of the facilities in recent times.
