Members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) commenced a nationwide strike on Monday after the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum issued to the federal government.
NARD President, Dr Aliyu Sokomba who announced this at a press conference on Monday in Abuja said the union has decided to exempt its members working in various coronavirus (COVID-19) isolation and treatment centres across the country.
Dr Sokomba, however, stated that exemption of the members attending to COVID-19 patients was for two weeks before they join the industrial action.
The decision to commence an indefinate nationwide strike followed the virtual extra-ordinary National Executive Council meeting of the association held on Sunday as a result of the failed series of meetings between the doctors and the Federal Government in the last few weeks.
According to the NARD president, the meetings have failed to resolve the lingering industrial disputes which include the non-payment of special allowances for the resident doctors.
He also decried the deplorable state of hospitals and the lack of protective equipment for members of the union treating COVID-19 patients.
Dr Sokomba added that this has exposed many of their colleagues to coronavirus and resulted in the death of some of them.
According to him, other demands include “universal implementation of medical residency training act in all federal and state hospitals and ensuring pay parity among doctors of equal cadre, provision of funding of medical residency training in the 2021 appropriation bill.
“Immediate implementation of the revised hazard allowance and payment of the COVID-19 inducement allowance agreed with the government and healthcare workers three months ago.
“Stoppage and immediate refund of all illegal, unjust and callous cut in salaries of our members by Kaduna State and other state governments,” Sokomba said.
All resident doctors, medical officers below the rank of Principal Medical Officer (PMO), and House Officers across all the Federal and State Hospitals in Nigeria are expected to join the strike.
