Resident Doctors announces suspension of Nationwide Strike

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) called off its nation-wide strike on Friday evening.

According to Gistlover, NARD members went on strike to force their requests on the federal government.

The resident doctors’ requests include payment of the 2023 medical residency training fund (MRTF), the immediate release of the circular on one-for-one replacement, and an upward revision of the consolidated medical salary structure (CONMESS).

Payment of unpaid arrears of consequential adjustment, hazard, and skipping allowance are among the others.

In an interview with TheCable, NARD President Emeka Orji stated that the strike was called off on Friday evening and that resident doctors would return to work at 8 a.m. on Saturday.

He said, “We just suspended the strike. Work to resume at 8 am tomorrow. We will review progress made in two weeks.”

The federal government in the wake of the strike said it had approved the payment of an accoutrement allowance of N25,000 per quarter to medical and dental doctors in hospitals, medical centres and clinics in the federal public service.

The government also approved a 25 percent increase in the consolidated medical salary structure (CONMESS), however, NARD rejected the allowance and pay increase, calling it “paltry”.

The association in its reaction announced that its members would go on peaceful nationwide protests from August 9.

But the federal government averted the planned nationwide protest after a meeting with the leadership of the association.