Members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors
(NARD) have suspended the nationwide strike they embarked on to press for their
demands from the federal government.
Emeka Orji, NARD president, told TheCable that the strike
was suspended on Friday evening, adding that the resident doctors would resume
work at 8 am on Saturday.
“We just suspended the strike. Work to resume at 8 am
tomorrow. We will review progress made in two weeks,“ Orji said.
The association embarked on an indefinite strike on July 26
over the failure of the government to implement the demands of its members.
Parts of the demands include payment of the 2023 medical
residency training fund (MRTF); immediate release of the circular on
one-for-one replacement and upward review of the consolidated medical salary
structure (CONMESS).
Others are payment of outstanding arrears of consequential
adjustment, hazard and skipping allowance.
In the wake of the strike, the federal government said it
had approved the payment of an accoutrement allowance of N25,000 per quarter to
medical and dental doctors in hospitals, medical centres and clinics in the
federal public service.
The government also approved a 25 percent increase in the
consolidated medical salary structure (CONMESS).
But NARD rejected the allowance and pay increase, calling it
“paltry”.
Subsequently, the association announced that its members
would go on peaceful nationwide protests from August 9.
But the federal government averted the planned nationwide
protest after a meeting with the leadership of the association.
Add Comment