JUST IN: Crisis Looms As Nigerian Doctors Embark On Indefinite Strike Amid Pandemics

While Nigeria is battling with the novel pandemics of dreaded Anthrax and Diphtheria, fresh crisis looms in the nation’s health sector as the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has directed its members to embark on an indefinite strike.

The association revealed this in a statement on Tuesday evening after they had earlier stated their grouse and demands to the public on Channels Television.

The resident doctors listed their demands to include the immediate payment of the 2023 MRTF, the immediate release of the circular on one-for-one replacement, and the payment of skipping arrears.

The list also noted the upward review of CONMESS in line with full salary restoration to the 2014 value of CONMESS, the payment of the arrears of consequential adjustment of minimum to the omitted doctors, and the reversal of the downgrading of the membership certificate by MDCN,

Other demands are the payment of MRTF, new hazard allowance, skipping and implementation of corrected CONMESS in State Tertiary Health Institutions, and the payment of omitted hazard allowance arrears.

The strike comes after the association on July 5 issued a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government for the implementation of all its demands.

In an attempt to avert the strike, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, on Monday, held deliberations with the leadership of NARD behind closed doors.

Following the private talks, Abbas promised to meet with President Bola Tinubu to avert the industrial action of the resident doctors and announced the setup of an ad hoc committee to meet with all the stakeholders and address the matter.

The Speaker also appealed to NARD to give the house leadership a two-week period to find solutions to the issues raised.