Doctors to begin nationwide strike on Monday

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has announced that it would embark on an indefinite strike on Monday.

In a statement jointly signed by Aliyu Sokomba, Bilqis Mohammad and Egbogu Stanley, its president, secretary, and publicity secretary respectively, the association said the decision was taken after its national executive council meeting held to review the 21-day ultimatum issued to the federal government.

Some of NARD’s demands include the implementation of residency funding, COVID-19 allowance, payment of hazard allowance and the outstanding salary shortfall of 2014, 2015, and 2016.

The association said despite the inclusion of residency funding in the revised 2020 budget, the government has not made plans to implement the payment after several promises.

“NEC resolved to proceed on indefinite nationwide strike action from Monday 7th of September 2020 by 8:00am until the following conditions are met; immediate payment of the Medical Residency Training funding to all her members as approved in the revised 2020 budget; provision of genuine Group life insurance and death in service benefits for all health workers,” it said.

“Payment of the outstanding April/May and June COVID-19 inducement allowance to all health workers; determination of the revised hazard allowance for all health workers as agreed in previous meetings with relevant stakeholders; immediate payment of the salary shortfalls of 2014, 2015 and 2016.

“Doctors working under the various tertiary health institutions to be placed on appropriate salary grade level and universal implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act of 2017 in all state tertiary health institutions; payment of all arrears owed our members in Federal and states tertiary health institutions, arising from the consequential adjustment of the National minimum wage.”

The association earlier embarked on a nationwide strike on June 15, but it suspended the action on June 22 after the intervention of the federal government and stakeholders in the health sector.