The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its indefinite strike which commenced at midnight of Monday, June 15.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the doctors will return to work on Monday, June 22, 2020 by 8am prompt.
President of the union, Dr Aliyu Sokomba, announced this in a news conference on Sunday, following a meeting between the association and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in Abuja.
Sakomba noted that the decision to suspend the strike was taken in order to give the Federal and State Governments time to fulfil the outstanding demands.
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“The national officers shall continue negotiations with stakeholders and progress made shall be reviewed in four weeks during the next National Executive Council meeting in July 2020.
“The decision to suspend the strike was taken in order to give the Federal and State Governments time to fulfil the outstanding demands following an appeal by the Speaker of House of Representative, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chairman Nigeria Governors Forum and other stakeholder,” Sakomba said.
He announced that through the intervention of Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, some of their demands had been met, including the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) in some hospitals, and the inclusion of the Medical Residency Training fund in the revised 2020 budget.
The association will, over the next four weeks, await the fulfilment of the promises made by the Governors to extend the implementation to the various states.
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“On the salary shortfall for 2014-2016, The Secretary to the Government of the Federation has promised to intervene.
“Government has shown a commitment to secure group life insurance for health workers. The disengaged resident doctors at Jos University Teaching Hospital have been reinstated, the Chief Medical Director has been directed to pay their withheld salaries and comply with the provisions of the Medical Residency,” he added.
He further stated that the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum, Gov. Kayode Fayemi and the Director-General of the State Tertiary Health Institutions (STHIs), Mr Asishana Okauru, had promised to discuss with the Governors of Kogi, Gombe, Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Enugu, Anambra, Abia, and Imo for immediate pay parity with the corrected CONMESS of 2019 and the salary shortfalls.
“NARD also met with Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo state who also gave his words to favourably look into all challenges of our members in LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso with a view to abiding by the international standard,” he said.
The resident doctors had declared an indefinite strike starting on Monday June 15, following the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum given to the Federal Government to address several issues and demands.
