The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued a two-week ultimatum to the federal government for the implementation of all its demands.
Politics Nigeria recalls that resident doctors embarked on a five-day warning strike in May due to the federal government’s refusal to meet the association’s demands.
Some of the demands include massive recruitment of clinical staff in hospitals; immediate infrastructural development in hospitals and an allocation of at least 15 percent of budgetary provisions to health.
Others are immediate payment of the 2023 medical residency training fund (MRTF); and the immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) to the tune of 200 percent of the gross salary of doctors.
But after a meeting with Chris Ngige, former minister of labour and employment, and the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU), the doctors suspended their strike.
The association said it would review the progress made during its Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) in June.
In a communique after its extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, NARD said it “observed with disappointment that it is now seven weeks since the end of the five-day warning strike and the resolutions are yet to be implemented”.
The association also noted that the parameters used in arriving at a demand for minimum of 200 percent increase in CONMESS has significantly changed, following the removal of fuel subsidy and the massive increase in the general cost of living.
NARD also demands payment of the medical residency training fund to our members in the state tertiary health institutions nationwide.
NEC hereby wishes to further extend her already expired ultimatum issued to the government by 2 weeks with effect from today 5th July 2023.
