The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has threatened to embark on an indefinite strike if the Federal Government fails to meet its demands on or before 19th July 2023.
Last Wednesday, NARD issued a fresh two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to commence the implementation of all pending agreements it reached with the association when it embarked on a five-day warning strike from 17th to 21st May.
The association had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government to address the issues they raised.
The doctors are demanding that the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria should discontinue the downgrading of the membership certificate issued by the West African Postgraduate Medical and Surgical colleges; and the immediate payment of all salary arrears, implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, new hazard allowance, and domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act, among others.
NARD’s President of NARD, Dr. Emeka Orji said on Sunday that the government had yet to invite the association for a meeting regarding the agreements and other demands.
He said: “Our members are saying that there will be an indefinite strike if the government fails to meet our demands. The government has not called us for a meeting regarding our demands, and what we need now is not even a meeting but for them to implement the agreement they had with us, especially the ones with the timelines. Most of the things we are asking can be implemented in a day or two”.
He further said: “The Federal Government has just about nine days to prevent this avoidable indefinite shutdown of healthcare services in this country”.
