By Ikugbadi Oluwasegun
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has declared a total and indefinite strike from 12.am on Wednesday following the federal government’s failure to meet its demands.
This is contained in a statement made available on Tuesday evening where the resident doctors also listed demands, including the immediate payment of the 2023 MRTF, the immediate release of the circular on one-for-one replacement and the payment of skipping arrears among others.
Dr Emeka Innocent, NARD President, in a release said the indefinite strike was at
the expiration of the warning strike and different extended ultimatum by association.
According to him, even the resolutions of the conciliatory meeting chaired by the then Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment were yet to be implemented, despite the set time lines for their implementation.
The doctor’s major demands include: Immediate payment of the 2023 MRTF; Immediate release of the circular on one-for-one replacement; Payment of skipping arrears; Reversal of the downgrading of the membership certificate by MDCN, Upward review of CONMESS in line with full salary restoration to the 2014 value of CONMESS; and Payment of the arrears of consequential adjustment of minimum to the omitted doctors.
The strike action comes as a blow following an appeal not to embark on the action, made by Speaker House of Representatives during a meeting with the association on Monday.