FG begs Resident Doctors to end strike

The Nigerian Government has appealed to the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), end it ongoing indefinite strike, which began last month.

This was disclosed in a conference by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Kachollom Daju.

Daju urged the striking doctors to consider the lives of many Nigerians at stake and end the strike.

Consideration

The Permanent Secretary noted that the new administration and other relevant agencies were working round the clock to ensure that the contentious issues were addressed and the doctors’ demands met, she said:

“We are using this medium to currently appeal to NARD that please, Nigerians are dying in troops. That is the truth, the health sector is a very important sector.

“Not that other sectors are not important, they are all important but we all know what medical doctors are to us. If you are ill today and you cannot go to a hospital, what happens?

“People are dying, people cannot care for themselves. So, I am begging them and I am lending my voice to the voice of all members of the government who have appealed to them, to please call off their strike and go back to work.

“I know that your parent ministry alongside other government agencies are working round the clock to ensure that this matter is sorted out,” she said.
Responsibility

She added that the FG expected that with all sense of responsibility, NARD would see reasons with them, citing that maybe between 29 May and now, the doctors assumed that what they requested would be given immediately but, some of the issues have been dealt with by the Federal Government.

She added that since the Tinubu administration came into office, concerted efforts had been made by the Federal Government and the National Assembly to address the issues, she also noted that the two main contending issues which include the payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund and One-on-one placement of exited doctors.

Very soon, we are sure that ministers are going to be in place and the government is not resting on its oars. We understand the plight of where you are coming from,”

“We have pleaded again that you just give us a little more time that when recommendations have been made by the committee we will bring them forth and act but to no avail,”

What you should know

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) announced an indefinite strike in response to the government’s failure to meet their demands on Wednesday morning, July 26, 2023.

Demands of the NARD

Among their major demands are the immediate payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), the release of the circular on one-for-one replacement, payment of skipping arrears, and an upward review of CONMESS to restore salaries to their 2014 value.

Speaking to the press, they said, “We have also been talking about the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) for 2023 which was captured in the budget, but up till now has not been released.

“We have also been requesting an upward review of the consolidated medical salary structure. Government is yet to handle the matter the way they are supposed to handle it. This time around, we are not calling any percentage again; what we are asking for is full salary restoration.
“We said before that this salary structure we are using was approved in 2009 and implemented in 2014.

“What we are saying is restore us back to the value of the salary as of 2014 because we know that inflation, exchange rate increment and fuel price has eroded the value.”