If the Federal Government does not accede to the demands of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), a statewide mass protest would begin on August 9, 2023.
According to Newsmen, the organisation announced this in a circular on Saturday that was signed by its president, Dr. Emeka Orji, and the secretary-general, Dr. Kelechi Chikezie, and was captioned “Notice of nationwide mass protests and picketing by NARD.”
Remember that on July 26, 2023, NARD began an indefinite strike after giving the government a two-week deadline to abide by its demands.
Strike: Despite Court Order, We Will Not Suspend Strike – NARD Vows
The doctors are requesting the following: the immediate payment of all salary arrears; the implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure; a new hazard allowance; and the domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria. The doctors are also demanding an end to the downgrading of the membership certificate issued by the West African Postgraduate Medical and Surgical Colleges.
NARD stated in the circular sent to Olufunso Adebiyi, the Federal Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary, that it would stage a protest at the Federal Ministry of Health, the Office of the Head of the Federal Civil Service, and the federal and state tertiary health institutions nationwide to make its demands known.
The circular read, “We wish to bring to your notice, the decision of the National Executive Council of NARD to embark on daily peaceful protests and picketing of the Federal Ministry of Health, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, as well as all federal and state tertiary health institutions nationwide, with effect from Wednesday, August 9, 2023, by 10 am.
UPDATE: Striking Doctors React As FG Enforces ‘No Work, No Pay’ Policy
“This has become necessary to press home our demands which have been largely neglected by our parent ministry and the Federal Government. We are pained that rather than make genuine and concerted efforts to resolve the challenges that led to the industrial action despite repeated ultimatums, our parent ministry and the Federal Government have chosen to demonise Nigerian resident doctors instead, after all, their sacrifices and patriotism.
“We, therefore, resolved that it is time the whole world hears our side of the story the decay and corruption in the health sector, as well as the neglect the public health institutions have suffered all these years that led to repeated industrial actions.
“We believe that the government still has time to genuinely address the issues at stake before Wednesday, 9th August 2023, or leave us with no other option.”
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