Nigerian Resident Doctors Threaten Nationwide Strike

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has threatened to go on a nationwide strike if the federal government does not meet its demands.

The association in a letter to the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire on Monday, and signed by its president, Dr Emeka Innocent Orji, said processes for the strike would commence if the issues are not addressed before its January 2023 National Executive Council (NEC) meeting slated for January 24th to 28th.

The letter read in part, “Sir, our January 2023 National Executive Council meeting has been scheduled for January 24th to 28th, 2023, and we can confirm very clearly feelers that if these issues are not sorted out before that meeting, our members will likely give us a mandate to immediately kick-start processes that will lead to a nationwide industrial disharmony in the health sector.”

NARD had earlier issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government six months ago on account of lingering unresolved issues affecting its members, including the irregularities in the new circular on an upward review of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), outstanding payment of the arrears of the new hazard allowance, non-payment of the skipping arrears for 2014, 2015 and 2016, and non-payment of the consequential adjustment of the minimum wage to some of its members.

-Dailytrust