Resident Doctors Threaten To Commence Nationwide Strike On Thursday

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has
threatened to proceed on a nationwide strike action from Thursday
April 1, if its demands are not met.

In a communique issued at the end of its National Executive
Council meeting, President, Dr. Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, Secretary
General, Dr. Jerry Isogun, and Publicity/Social Secretary, Dr.
Dotun Osikoya, said the demands include immediate payment of all
salaries owed to all house officers, including March salaries
(regardless of quota system) before the end of business on the 31st
of March.

Others are: “Immediate payment of all salary arrears including
March salaries for our members in all Federal (GIFMIS platform) and
State Tertiary Health Institutions across the country especially
ASUTH, IMSUTH and UNIMEDTH.

“An upward review of the current hazard allowance to 50% of
consolidated basic salaries of all health workers and payment of
the outstanding COVID-19 inducement allowance especially in State
owned-tertiary Institutions.”

The resident doctors also called for the sack of the Registrar
of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) for “failure to
demonstrate competence in the handling of the central placement of
house officers”.

“This will give room for smooth implementation of the central
placement of house officers without further delays,” the
association said.

While calling on for the abolishment of the exorbitant bench
fees being paid by its members on outside postings in all training
Institutions across the country, the association also called for
payment of salary shortfalls of 2014, 2015 and 2016 to its members
in all federal institutions including, state-owned, as earlier
agreed with NARD.

The association called for payment of death in service insurance
for all health workers who died as a result of COVID-19 infection
or other infectious diseases in the country, and universal
domestication/implementation of the 2017 MRTA by all federal
government and state-owned training institutions to ensure proper
funding of Residency Training in the country as stipulated by the
Act.

The doctors also want immediate payment of 2019, the balance of
2020 and 2021 Medical Residency Training Funds (MRTF) to members
including those under state government employment.

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has
threatened to proceed on a nationwide strike action from Thursday
April 1, if its demands are not met.

In a communique issued at the end of its National Executive
Council meeting, President, Dr. Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, Secretary
General, Dr. Jerry Isogun, and Publicity/Social Secretary, Dr.
Dotun Osikoya, said the demands include immediate payment of all
salaries owed to all house officers, including March salaries
(regardless of quota system) before the end of business on the 31st
of March.

Others are: “Immediate payment of all salary arrears including
March salaries for our members in all Federal (GIFMIS platform) and
State Tertiary Health Institutions across the country especially
ASUTH, IMSUTH and UNIMEDTH.

“An upward review of the current hazard allowance to 50% of
consolidated basic salaries of all health workers and payment of
the outstanding COVID-19 inducement allowance especially in State
owned-tertiary Institutions.”

The resident doctors also called for the sack of the Registrar
of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) for “failure to
demonstrate competence in the handling of the central placement of
house officers”.

“This will give room for smooth implementation of the central
placement of house officers without further delays,” the
association said.

While calling on for the abolishment of the exorbitant bench
fees being paid by its members on outside postings in all training
Institutions across the country, the association also called for
payment of salary shortfalls of 2014, 2015 and 2016 to its members
in all federal institutions including, state-owned, as earlier
agreed with NARD.

The association called for payment of death in service insurance
for all health workers who died as a result of COVID-19 infection
or other infectious diseases in the country, and universal
domestication/implementation of the 2017 MRTA by all federal
government and state-owned training institutions to ensure proper
funding of Residency Training in the country as stipulated by the
Act.

The doctors also want immediate payment of 2019, the balance of
2020 and 2021 Medical Residency Training Funds (MRTF) to members
including those under state government employment.