The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has granted the Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government a 72-hour window to address essential demands, urging the cancellation of their strike.
NARD’s National President, Dr. Emeka Orji, conveyed this ultimatum in an interview with The Punch on Wednesday.
Although the nationwide protest plan has been halted, Orji emphasised that the indefinite strike, which began on July 26, can only be terminated if the government fulfils certain key requirements.
These prerequisites comprise issuing a circular for the one-for-one replacement of clinical staff and disbursing the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund.
NARD will decide whether to continue the strike or call it off by Friday, August 12.
Orji said, “We had a fruitful meeting yesterday (Tuesday) at the Villa and with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, so it will not be good to have that level of meeting, and the next day we hit the streets to protest, it will look as if there is an ulterior motive behind our demands.
“Our demands are germane because there is a shortage of doctors in our hospitals, so the few of us remaining are being overworked. How long are we going to continue like that?
“They have told us what they will do today (Wednesday) and tomorrow (Thursday), and we are hopeful they will do the needful. If they are able to do those things, then I am sure the National Executive Committee will give us the mandate to suspend the strike because we are very understanding.
“The circular for one-for-one replacement is the first, and the 2023 MRTF fund is the second one. If they are able to address them, we will appeal to our members to suspend the strike while we continue to negotiate for all the salary arrears, skip arrears, and other things.
”Orji said it should not be difficult for the government to implement the one-for-one replacement without extra expenses.
“The government has the list of those who have left, and it is a matter of replacing them immediately, and the new ones that are recruited are paid the salary you have budgeted to replace those who have left.
So, it is not difficult to do. This is a thing that has been agreed to be done since February, but nothing has been done about it, but we are hoping the government will do as agreed,” he added
