Resident Doctors Suspend Strike ̶ NARD President

Doctors under the aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have suspended their strike.

NARD President, Aliyu Sokomba, confirmed this on Thursday evening.

He stated the discussions with Federal Government on how to resolve the issues continues on Friday by 8 am.

He said the doctors decided to embark on strike due to the failure of the government to meet their requests made in June.

In June, the doctors downed tools over unpaid salaries, non-payment of hazard allowance and a dearth of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in hospitals, among several other reasons.

The meeting between the two parties on Wednesday in Abuja ended in a deadlock with government threatening to revoke the residency programme.

The resident doctors, however suspended the strike after the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of NARD on Thursday evening directed all its members to immediately report at their duty post.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has approved additional N8.9 billion for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) hazard allowances to all medical health workers in the country.

The Chairman, Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19 and Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr Boss Mustapha, disclosed this at the PTF briefing on Thursday in Abuja.

Mustapha also stated that in addition to this, the procurement of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for hospitals and isolation centres would be given priority.

The chairman also admitted diffusion in registration for passengers coming into Nigeria.