Doctors ice protest but continue indefinite strike until govt meets minimum demands
By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Doctors have put on ice their protest planned to start on August 9 but say they are pressing on with their indefinite nationwide strike which began on July 26 over poor pay and inadequate facilities to care for patients.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) listed among their demands, the release of the circular for one-for-one replacement of clinical staff and payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) as minimum conditions to call off the strike.
NARD National President Emeka Orji said although the planned protest was suspended the federal government has been given 72 hours to meet urgent demands to shelve the strike, according to reporting by The PUNCH.
He disclosed the NARD will decide to continue or call off the strike by Friday August 12.
“We had a fruitful meeting [on 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,” Orji explained.
“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?”
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NARD exco to decide next action
“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 [NARD] National Executive Committee will give us the mandate to suspend the strike because we are very understanding,” Orji added, per The PUNCH.
“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, skipping arrears, and other things.”
Orji stressed it should not be difficult for Abuja to implement one-for-one replacement without extra cost.
“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.”