The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has said it will embark on an indefinite strike if the Federal Government fails to meet its demands on or before July 19, 2023.
The President of NARD, Dr Emeka Orji, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with our correspondent on Sunday.
Recall that NARD, last Wednesday, issued a fresh two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to commence the implementation of all pending agreements it reached with the association when it embarked on a five-day warning strike from May 17 to 21, 2023.
The association had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the government to address the issues raised by the resident doctors.
The doctors are demanding the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to discontinue the downgrading of the membership certificate issued by the West African Postgraduate Medical and Surgical colleges; and the immediate payment of all salary arrears, implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, new hazard allowance, and domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act, among others.
But Orji, while speaking with our correspondent, said the government had yet to invite the association for a meeting regarding the agreements and other demands.
He said, “Our members are saying that there will be an indefinite strike if the government fails to meet our demands. The government has not called us for a meeting regarding our demands, and what we need now is not even a meeting but for them to implement the agreement they had with us, especially the ones with the timelines. Most of the things we are asking can be implemented in a day or two.”
Orji added that, “The Federal Government has just about nine days to prevent this avoidable indefinite shutdown of healthcare services in this country
https://punchng.com/doctors-give-fg-july-19-to-meet-demands
