Strike looms as doctors issue FG fresh two weeks ultimatum

 The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Wednesday has served the Federal a fresh two-week ultimatum to press home members’ lingering demands.

NARD issued the ultimatum at the end of the Extraordinary National Executive Council (E-NEC) virtual meeting.

This comes as NARD appraised the level of implementation of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the Government on 19th May 2023 following the five-day warning strike embarked upon by the association on 17th May 2023.

After a prolonged debate on the aforementioned issues, NEC unanimously resolved as follows:

“NEC demands the immediate payment of the 2023 MRTF as contained in the approved 2023 budget in line with various agreements we’ve reached with the government.

“NEC calls on the Government to, without further delay, pay all outstanding arrears owed our members, including the hazard allowance and the skipping arrears of 2014-2016, and the arrears of consequential adjustment of minimum wage, as there is no justifiable reason to keep owing these arrears and allowances.

“We demand the immediate release and 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.

“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 were 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 July 5, 2023.

“The NEC of NARD insists on the immediate implementation of a minimum of 200% increment in the CONMESS salary structure and an 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 July 2023, if all these demands are not met, we cannot guarantee industrial harmony in the Health Sector nationwide.”