Resident doctors threatens to embark on nationwide strike April 1

*Over welfare packages, unpaid salaries,others

By Joseph Erunke

ABUJA–THE National Association of Resident Doctors,NARD, has threatened to embark on nationwide strike  from April 1st, 2021.

The body of Nigerian resident doctors said the planned strike was informed by poor welfare packages,unpaid salaries, and alleged ineptitude of

Registrar of Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria,MDCN, Dr. Tajudeen Sanusi amongst other demands.

NARD President, Dr. Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi who conveyed resolutions taken at the extra ordinary National Executive Council,NEC, meeting of the Association at the weekend in a communique, said the only way to avert the strike was immediate payment of all salaries owed house officers including March salaries, regardless of quota system, before the end of business on the 31st March, 2021.

Okhuaihesuyi who lamented the inhumane treatment meted at  members in some State Tertiary Institutions who were owed months of salaries, and some of the Association’s members in GIFMIS platform who have not been paid salaries for four months now due to delay in biometric capturing by IPPIS department.

The doctors demanded for the sack of Dr. Sanusi, for failure to demonstrate competence in the handling of the central placement of house officers,

“We want immediate review of the Act regulating Postgraduate Medical Training in Nigeria in line with International best practices to remove the unnecessary rigors in Residency Training in Nigeria, one of the factors

attributed to brain drain in the health sector,”the communique read.

It continued:”We also want immediate commencement of employment into all Government- owned hospitals to improve service delivery to Nigerians, enhance Residency Training and curb the attendant brain drain in the health

sector.

“We also demanded the reintroduction of medical super salary structure and specialist allowance for all Doctors as already approved for some other health workers. This will go a long way in ensuring peace in the

health sector.”

On the call for the sack of the MDCN Registrar, he said “this will give room for smooth implementation of the central placement of house officers without further delays.

“Dr. Sanusi is obviously frustrating the effort of young doctors who are on housemanship, some of whom have not being paid salaries for several months.”