The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has threatened to resume its suspended industrial action on August 17 if the federal government does not meet its demand.
The association gave the ultimatum on Saturday in a communique issued at the end of its National Executive Council meeting and scientific conference in Gombe.
“The association resolved to extend the suspension of her strike action by three weeks to give government time to address her demands.
“Failure to adequately address these concerns will leave the association with no choice than to resume the suspended strike on Monday the 17th of August 2020,” NARD said in the communique signed by Dr. Sokomba Aliyu, Dr.Bilqis Muhammad and Dr. Egbogu Stanley, the president, Secretary General and Publicity Secretary of the association respectively.
The demands
The demands of the association include the immediate resignation or removal of the Chief Medical Director of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Professor Henry Ugboma, for fraud and administrative rascality, and unconditional reinstatement of the suspended UPTH Association of Resident Doctors (ARD)’s executives led by Dr. Solomon Amadi.
Other demands are; that hospitals be provided with funds to sustain provision of the needed personal protective equipment, immediate implementation and funding of the medical residency training act as agreed, and payment of salary shortfall to her members.
NARD also demanded payment of COVID- 19 hazard inducement allowance to her members which it said was now long overdue and implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act to ensure adequate remuneration of state health workers.
The association also called on the federal government and National Assembly to investigate the non enrollment of healthcare workers for Group Life Insurance, and non-payment of Death-in-Service benefits to the next-of-kin of its fallen heroes despite claims of payment to insurance companies.
“NEC demands immediate payment of arrears of consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage owed some doctors and other health workers.
“We also demand appropriate compensation of our members in State Health Institutions,” the association added.
NARD said,, during the meeting its NEC deliberated on her suspended industrial action with a view to appraise the response of the government to issues that necessitated industrial dispute but observed continued shortage of supply of PPEs and funding to various tertiary health institutions.
It said it also observed that payment of COVID-19 hazard inducement allowance was commenced and was abruptly suspended immediately the NARD strike was suspended, among others.
