Resident doctors to begin five-day warning strike Wednesday

The Nigerian Association of resident doctors (NARD) says it will embark on a warning strike over the failure of the federal government to meet its demands.

Orji Innocent, NARD president told TheCable that the strike will commence at 8 am on Wednesday, May 17, and will end Monday, May 22, at 8 am.

He said the association made the decision after a meeting of its extraordinary national executive council on Monday.

The association had earlier threatened to embark on strike if the federal government failed to meet its demands within two weeks.

NARD said the government refused to negotiate with the association or take tangible steps on the “upward review” of the consolidated medical salary structure (CONMESS).

The association also accused the federal government of refusing to pay the salary arrears of 2014, 2015 and 2016 to resident doctors.

“NEC observed that despite several engagements by NARD with the government on the need to upwardly review the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) which was last reviewed over ten years ago, Government has neither called NARD to the negotiation table nor taken any tangible step in addressing the issue,” the association wrote in a communique.

“NEC recalled that there have been previous ultimatums issued to the government by NARD on account of this problem of the review of the CONMESS salary structure.

“NEC also reiterated that the previous collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on
CONMESS stated clearly that the salary structure would be due for review after five
years, but this has not been done since the implementation in 2014, though the approval was given in 2009.

“NEC demands an immediate increment in the CONMESS salary structure to the tune
of 200% of the current gross salary of doctors in addition to the new allowances
included in the letter written by NARD to the honourable minister of health on the 7th of July 2022 for the review of CONMESS.

“NEC demands immediate massive recruitment of clinical staff in the hospitals and complete abolishment of bureaucratic limitations to the immediate replacement of
doctors who leave the system.”

The resident doctors also condemned the bill seeking to mandate medical and dental practitioners to practice for five years before relocating abroad.