Residents Doctors Threaten Nationwide Strike Over Unresolved Grievances

Another industrial action looms in Nigeria’s health sector as members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have threatened to embark on a nationwide industrial action if the Federal Government fails to address their grievances.

NARD President, Emeka Orji said that the association does not want to down its tools, knowing its implication for the health sector, but could be forced to do so if the government refused to address their demands before January 28 when the association will end its National Executive Council meeting.

He said, “We have been restraining ourselves as their leaders and that is exactly what we stipulated in the letter.”

According to the association, some of the unresolved issues include the irregularities in the new circular on an upward review of the medical residency training fund, non-payment of outstanding arrears of the new hazard allowance, and the non-payment of the consequential adjustment of the minimum wage to some of its members.

Others are salary arrears of their members in State Tertiary Health Institutions running into several months, including Abia, Imo, Ondo, Ekiti and Gombe States, and non-domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act (MRTA) in most states across the Federation.

The statement added, “We sincerely appreciate the efforts of the government through its ministries, departments and agencies in resolving some of the issues raised.

“However, many of them remain largely unresolved and have now become sources of serious nationwide agitation threatening industrial peace and harmony in the health sector.”