The Federal Government is scheduling to meet with the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) this week, to douse a second push in a few weeks, for a strike which promises to cramp the country’s healthcare sector.
NARD a 10,000 member strong body of medical doctors, says its resolution was taken at a virtual Extraordinary National Executive Council Meeting (E-NEC) to appraise the level of implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the government on May 19, 2023, following a five-day warning strike embarked upon by the Association on May 17, 2023.
Sources close to government say preliminary interventions were made at the weekend with NARD members and persons of influence in that realm, pending a formal meeting which government hopes to have with the doctors this week.
Informed sources say government would want some time to properly address the doctors demands as it has its hands full with matters to attend to, being barely six weeks in office.
NARD is however unrelenting in its demands which have been belaboured and pending before the onset of the Tinubu administration.
The association urged government to quickly pay outstanding arrears owed its members in the interest of industrial harmony. It listed the arrears as including hazard allowance and the skipping arrears from 2014 to 2016, as well as arrears of consequential adjustment of minimum wage.
A communiqué issued by NARD read in part: “We demand the immediate release and the implementation of the guidelines on one-for-one replacement of clinical staff to cushion the effect of the massive manpower shortage in our various hospitals nationwide.”
It further stated: “NEC calls on the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to discontinue the downgrading of the membership certificate issued by the West African Postgraduate Medical and Surgical colleges as this is not obtainable in other parts of West Africa where these same certificates are issued.
“NEC demands the immediate payment of all Salary Arrears, implementation of the CONMESS salary structure and new Hazard Allowance and domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act and payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund to our members in the State Tertiary Health Institutions nationwide.
“NEC hereby wishes to further extend her already expired ultimatum issued to the government by 2 weeks with effect from today 5th July 2023.
“The NEC of NARD insist on the immediate implementation of a minimum of 200% increment in the CONMESS (Consolidated Medical Salary Structure) and upward review of the associated allowances as requested in her previous letters on the subject matter since the current economic realities in the country cannot justify the continued payment of CONMESS as it is at the moment or any increment below the 200% as demanded.
“For purposes of emphasis, at the expiration of this further extended ultimatum by 19th of July 2023, if all these demands are not met, we cannot guarantee industrial harmony in the Health Sector nationwide,” the statement said.
Nigeria has about 10,000 resident doctors according to NARD estimates for November 2022. In total, there are 24,000 doctors including consultants, resident doctors, medical officers engaged in the country’s health sector.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors is an affiliate of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). It has 76 branches domiciled mainly in Federal and State-owned Teaching Hospitals.
Nigeria currently has 22 teaching hospitals, 20 federal medical centres and 17 specialist hospitals.
