He Nigerian Association of Resident Physicians (NARD) has explained why it called off its nationwide strike more than two weeks after it started.
NARD president Emeka Orji, who confirmed the development to Newslodge on Saturday, said the association decided to call off the strike due to significant steps by the federal government to address their demands.
Mr. Orji said that NARD’s National Executive Council (NEC) met and concluded that it is best to give the government two weeks to comply with their demands.
He said: “We also noted that the federal government approved the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) and started working on the circular on one-for-one replacement,” he said.
“The one-for-one replacement circular is a very important demand because we think it would address the severe labor shortage, but from what we have seen, it would take another two weeks for the government to finalize it.”
He said all resident doctors are due to resume on Saturday at 8 am and noted that there will be a review of progress made in two weeks.
doctors strike
NARD members embarked on industrial action on July 26 following the failure of the Nigerian government to meet their demands.
The doctors are demanding, among other issues, immediate payment from the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), tangible steps in the “upward revision” of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), and payment of all back wages. to its affiliates. since 2015.
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Doctors also want the immediate massive recruitment of clinical staff in hospitals and the abolition of bureaucratic constraints on the immediate replacement of doctors and nurses leaving the system.
They also want immediate risk allowance review by all state governments, as well as private tertiary health institutions where any form of residency training takes place.
Newslodge reported how the strike disrupted healthcare services at healthcare facilities in some major parts of the country.
Resident physicians comprise the majority of the medical staff in tertiary hospitals in Nigeria; therefore, health activities are mostly paralyzed when they are on strike.
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