BEVERLY HILLS, April 04, (THEWILL) – The National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD) has issued a 21-day notice to the Federal Government to meet their demands or they would embark on an indefinite strike on April 25.
This was contained in a communique signed by its President, Dr. Muhammad Adamu Askira; Secretary-General, Dr. Ibrahim Shettima Kuburi and Publicity Secretary, Dr. Uhuaba Eugene Ahuruezenma, issued at the end of its Extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abuja.
The resolution was reached by members of the association at the end of its extra ordinary executive council on Monday and issued the ultimatum “following which industrial harmony in various hospitals may not be guaranteed.”
Some of the demands includes payments of members’ salaries till date, appropriate placement of members in both states and federal tertiary hospitals across the nation, reversal of sacked members in some hospitals as well as appropriate funding of residency training programme.
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The association noted that some of their members in states tertiary hospitals in Osun, Imo, Ekiti, Abia and Kogi, among others, have not been paid salaries ranging from three to eight months, adding that labourers deserved their wages.
It also urged the government to adequately fund hospitals at all levels and upgrade existing facilities in public hospitals in line with internationals best practices saying this would go a long way in curbing medical tourism.
“NARD will no longer tolerate the undue sack of resident doctors and demands immediate reversal of such, and urge government at all levels to strictly comply with pension deductions act as amended in 2014.
“We urged the government to ensure appropriate and adequate remuneration of our members at various hospitals.
“Our only concern is the situation whereby the government allows people to go on strike. Looking at our demands they are solely the responsibilities of the government; at the moment doctors in Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Irrua and FMC Owerri have not been paid their December salaries.
“Residents doctors work all day and night meeting the health needs of ordinary Nigerians that come to us for consultation. When a big man in Abuja is involved in an accident or whatsoever we are the first to receive him; then why this maltreatment?
“The only way any democratic dividend will reach a Nigerian is through us and anybody that stops us from receiving our entitlement is an enemy of Nigerian people, and if we continue in this way then they are not ready for a change.”
Reacting to the threat by the Minister of health that any health worker that engaged in industrial harmony would forfeit his salary, the association noted that the first thing should be penalties for work without pay before the penalty for no work no pay.
Story by David Oputah
