The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, has announced that a five-day warning strike would begin on Wednesday to protest the federal government’s unwillingness to renegotiate the terms of their salary.
The strike follows a two-week ultimatum to the Federal government on April 29, which expired last Saturday.
NARD President Emeka Orji said the group is outraged by the federal government’s failure to address the doctors’ issues within the 14-day ultimatum.
“The only attempt we saw was the official invitation to a meeting by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, which was cancelled at the last minute without any notice or tangible explanation,” Dr Orji said in a statement.
The doctors are requesting a 200% review of their Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, CONMESS, which is the framework that sets their salaries and benefits.
They have also asked for the payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund, MRTF, which caters to the training of doctors seeking advanced specialization in specific areas of medicine.
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Furthermore, the association urged that the House of Representatives intervene to reject the proposed bill by Hon Ganiyu Jonson, which would stop young doctors from leaving the country until they had completed five years of practice.
“The Federal Ministry of Health did not bat an eyelid or make any attempt to resolve these issues. And our members feel that this is not something that they will accept,” Dr Orji said.
He went on to point out that if the federal government continues to refuse to engage with members by the conclusion of the warning strike next Monday, the association would not hesitate to go on strike.
“We only considered that this government just has two weeks, and it will be unfair to welcome the government of the President-elect, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu with an indefinite strike. It is also not good for Nigerians for whom we believe this struggle is,” he said.
Dr. Orji noted that the group is positive that President-elect Bola Tinubu, whose government begins on May 29, would commit to resolving the issues of the striking physicians. “We believe that the President-elect can intervene at this point to arrest the situation.”
“As far as we are concerned, this is the time for him to step in because we have been going around to engage this government, but their body language is that they are packing up,” he said.
