By Saidu Idris
365Daily – The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has begun an indefinite strike.
This was disclosed by Emeka Orji, NARD president, saying the strike action began at 12am on Wednesday.
NARD earlier issued a two-week ultimatum to the federal government for the implementation of all its demands, warning that failure to do so would lead to the doing tools.
Orji said while speaking on the commencement of the strike, that the association resolved on the industrial action at a meeting of its national executive council (NEC).
The association, he said, is demanding the immediate payment of the 2023 medical residency training fund (MRTF) and the immediate release of the circular on one-for-one replacement.
Payment of skipping arrears and upward review of consolidated medical salary structure (CONMESS) in line with full salary restoration to the 2014 value of CONMESS is among the demands put to the government, with other demands including payment of the arrears of consequential adjustment of minimum to the omitted doctors and reversal of the downgrading of the membership certificate by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN).
The doctors are also demanding for new hazard allowance, skipping and implementation of corrected CONMESS in state health institutions and payment of omitted hazard allowance arrears.
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, on Monday met with NARD to find a solution to the imminent strike, ad appealed that they ”approach these issues with an open mind and guided by the fact that revenues available to the government may not fully meet our demands.”