If their demands are not satisfied, resident doctors intend to stage a national demonstration.continue Reading.
According to the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), if the Federal Government does not comply with its requests, a nationwide rally will be held on Wednesday, August 9, 2023.
However, the association stated that since it announced the protest, there had been no official meeting with the administration.
NARD declared it would start holding nonviolent protests on Wednesday and picket the Federal Ministry of Health, the Office of the Head of the Federal Civil Service, as well as federal and state tertiary healthcare facilities across the country.
NARD gave the government a two-week window to abide with its demands before going on indefinite strike on July 26, 2023.
Doctors have made several demands, including hazard compensation, domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act, immediate payment of all salary arrears, and an end to the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria’s downgrading of membership certificates issued by West African Postgraduate Medical and Surgical Colleges.
The Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors in the Federal Tertiary Hospitals were told to impose the “no work, no pay” policy to the striking NARD members via a circular from the FG dated August 1, 2023.
Dr. Emeka Orji, the association’s president, warned our correspondent on Monday that if the government did not budge by Wednesday morning at 10 am, the strike will surely get worse.
“We have gathered our members in preparation for the national protest. Before proceeding to the secretariat of the Federal Ministry of Health, we will assemble at the National Hospital in Abuja for those who are already there. The neighborhood doctors who collaborate with our medical professionals in other states will demonstrate outside the facilities.
Since the protest was publicized, have the physicians met with the government? “We have not been officially invited for a meeting,” Orji said in response to the question. I am aware that some government representatives are attempting to schedule the meeting even though we haven’t received an official invitation with us.
