Strike: Resident Doctors Gave Impossible Conditions Before Signing MoU — FG

The Federal Government has said striking resident doctors gave
impossible conditions before they would sign the Memorandum of
Understanding, MoU, agreed at their last conciliatory meeting.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, who
gave the insight on why the resident doctors declined to sign the
MoU after the meeting with stakeholders in the health sector, said
the sum of N4.8 billion has been set aside as residency training
fund for the striking doctors in the country.

Ngige disclosed this during a meeting with the Chairman of Forum
Chairmen of Health Institutions in Nigeria (FCHIN), Dr. Sam Sam
Jaja, at the weekend.

Recall that resident doctors under the umbrella of the Nigerian
Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, had embarked on indefinite
strike over the alleged inability of the government to address
their concerns

Ngige said the resident doctors wanted government to exempt them
from the application of Section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act that
provides for no work, no pay sanctions for striking workers.

While giving updates on the efforts being made to meet the
demands of the doctors, the Minister said that the implementation
of the MOU signed on August 21 with doctors was on course.

He said government has adopted a holistic approach to tackling
the challenges in the health sector, noting that some of the issues
in contention cut across sectors.

He further stated that government bent backward to improve the
ease of the practice of medicine in the country despite dwindling
resources.

Jaja described the strike by the NARD as insensitive considering
what the country is going through.

He assured the minister that his group will meet the resident
doctors with a view to persuading them to call off the strike,
saying strike should be the last resort when every other effort had
been exhausted in terms of finding a solution to whatever the
problem is

The Federal Government has said striking resident doctors gave
impossible conditions before they would sign the Memorandum of
Understanding, MoU, agreed at their last conciliatory meeting.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, who
gave the insight on why the resident doctors declined to sign the
MoU after the meeting with stakeholders in the health sector, said
the sum of N4.8 billion has been set aside as residency training
fund for the striking doctors in the country.

Ngige disclosed this during a meeting with the Chairman of Forum
Chairmen of Health Institutions in Nigeria (FCHIN), Dr. Sam Sam
Jaja, at the weekend.

Recall that resident doctors under the umbrella of the Nigerian
Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, had embarked on indefinite
strike over the alleged inability of the government to address
their concerns

Ngige said the resident doctors wanted government to exempt them
from the application of Section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act that
provides for no work, no pay sanctions for striking workers.

While giving updates on the efforts being made to meet the
demands of the doctors, the Minister said that the implementation
of the MOU signed on August 21 with doctors was on course.

He said government has adopted a holistic approach to tackling
the challenges in the health sector, noting that some of the issues
in contention cut across sectors.

He further stated that government bent backward to improve the
ease of the practice of medicine in the country despite dwindling
resources.

Jaja described the strike by the NARD as insensitive considering
what the country is going through.

He assured the minister that his group will meet the resident
doctors with a view to persuading them to call off the strike,
saying strike should be the last resort when every other effort had
been exhausted in terms of finding a solution to whatever the
problem is