Resident doctors to meet with FG today as nationwide protest looms

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) is set for a meeting with federal government representatives today over the ongoing strike and planned protest.

Speaking with TheCable on Tuesday, Emeka Orji, NARD president, said the outcome of the meeting will determine if the protest would hold as planned.

“I cannot mention the federal government representatives we will be meeting with for now. But we will disclose our next move after the meeting, maybe in the next four to five hours,” he said.

The association had embarked on an indefinite strike on July 26 over the failure of the government to implement the demands of members.

Parts of the demands include payment of the 2023 medical residency training fund (MRTF); immediate release of the circular on one-for-one replacement and upward review of the consolidated medical salary structure (CONMESS).

Others are payment of outstanding arrears of consequential adjustment, hazard and skipping allowance.

Amid the strike action, NARD had announced that its members will embark on peaceful nationwide protests from Wednesday, August 9.

The association said the protests will involve picketing of the federal ministry of health, the office of the head of the civil service of the federation, and the federal and state tertiary health institutions across the country.

Speaking on Channels Television on Sunday, the NARD president had said it fixed its protest on Wednesday to allow some time for the federal government to intervene.

“We had options of starting these protests on Monday but we shifted it to give the federal government enough time to intervene,” he had said.