The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) said the Federal Government had yet to meet all its minimum demands as agreed before it suspended its strike.
NARD said it would hold its National Executive Council meeting next week to rate FG’s efforts in meeting its demands and decide what to do next.
NARD had on 11 August 2023, suspended its 17-day-old nationwide indefinite strike it embarked upon on 26 July 2023, due to the significant moves made by the government to address its demands.
The President of NARD, Dr. Emeka Orji, had listed the release of the circular for one-for-one replacement of clinical staff, and the payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund as minimum conditions to suspend its indefinite strike.
Orji said the strike was suspended following significant moves by the Federal Government to address the doctors’ demands.
Speaking with newsmen on Friday, Orji said there had not been any concrete result regarding the doctors’ demands.
“We have not seen the demands being met and we have asked around and we are being told that the process is still ongoing. Ultimately the two-week ultimatum expires today (Friday). So, we will likely call our NEC to brief them.
“The notice of the meeting should come out today (Friday) or tomorrow (Saturday),” Orji said.
Orji noted that not all Chief Medical Directors (CMD) and Medical Directors have submitted the list for the one-for-one replacement of health workers in health institutions.
“The government has asked CMDs and MDS to send the list regarding one-for-one replacement of health workers but not all of them have submitted the list.
“This directive was given a month ago and if all the lists have not been submitted by now, it means something is wrong somewhere.
“What they are asking from them is not what should take a month to supply. We consider some of our demands as urgent but as it stands, people are still leaving.
“Earlier in the week when we asked again, we learnt that not all CMDs and MDs have responded.
“On the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund, the payment started coming in last week but it is not completed yet, and it is very difficult to tell how many people have received it or not. It is the government that made the template,” he said.
Earlier, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) asked the Federal Government to conclude measures to resolve all areas of disagreement with the resident doctors in the interest of industrial harmony.
The Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria also said it would embark on strike on 28 August 2023, should the Federal Government fail to meet its demands.
