Healthcare: Nigerian Resident Doctors begin, ‘indefinite strike’, restate demands

*The National Association of Resident Doctors has declared a ‘total and indefinite strike’ after the Association’s earlier two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to address the members’ demands to avoid the industrial action

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) says its members have embarked on a “total and indefinite strike action (sic).”

NARD disclosed this development in a terse statement issued evening Tuesday, July 25, 2023.

For the umpteenth time, the Resident Doctors listed their demands to include the immediate payment of the 2023 MRTF, the immediate release of the circular on one-for-one replacement, and the payment of skipping arrears.

The Association also mentioned in its list of demands the upward review of CONMESS in line with full salary restoration to the 2014 value of CONMESS, the payment of the arrears of consequential adjustment of minimum to the omitted doctors, and the reversal of the downgrading of the membership certificate by MDCN.

The doctors’ other demands include the payment of MRTF, new hazard allowance, skipping and implementation of corrected CONMESS in State Tertiary Health Institutions, and the payment of omitted hazard allowance arrears.

Ultimatum before declaration of total strike

It is recalled the Resident Doctors’ industrial action comes after the Association, July 5 this year, had issued a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government for the implementation of all its demands in order to avoid the strike.

NASS intervention to avert industrial action

Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Monday, July 24 attempt to avert the strike, as he held deliberations with the leadership of NARD behind closed doors in Abuja.

It was learnt after the private talks with the leadership of the aggrieved medical doctors, Speaker Abbas promised to meet with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, to avert the industrial action of the Resident Doctors.

Abbas also announced the constitution of an ad hoc committee to meet with all the stakeholders and address the matter in the healthcare sector of the Nigerian economy.

The Speaker, however, appealed to NARD to give the House of Representatives’ leadership a two-week period to find solutions to the issues raised ahead of the declaration of its “total and industrial strike” Tuesday evening.