FG appeals to Resident Doctors to suspend strike
By Matthew Denis
The Federal Government has appealed to the Doctors under the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to suspend the ongoing industrial action.
The federal government assured the Doctors that the government will fulfill their demands in few months.
Briefing journalists yesterday, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mrs. Kachollom Daju said, “if you recall on May 19th, 2023 the then Former Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Ngige presided over a meeting with the National Association of Resident Doctors alongside with the leadership of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) among other stakeholders where MoU was signed between the two parties.”
“The issue they (Resident Doctors) raised were Non-Payment of salary by Abia state government, review of unbundling Medical Doctors Licences for five years Practice a bill sponsored by Member of the Federal House of Representative, payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF); immediate release of the circular on one-for-one replacement and upward review of the consolidated medical salary structure (CONMESS).
“Others are payment of outstanding arrears of consequential adjustment, hazard and skipping allowance,” she added.
The Permanent Secretary stressed that within the period of May 19th and July 17th when they had another meeting, the government assured the resident doctors that they are working towards meeting their needs.
She said, “When they (doctors) gave us ultimatum that they were embarking on strike, we met with the relevant government agencies including the Ministry of Health to review the level of implementation of the government side.
“We appealed to them to recant the decision to see what the government can do because it’s a new regime that just came onboard on May 29th therefore they shouldn’t welcome it with strike. We kept talking and to be honest the Federal Government on her part is trying to ensure that the association do not go on strike but they still went on strike.
“We have gone to the highest level to discuss with them and pleaded that they (resident doctors) should give us sometimes to resolve their demands. We expected with all sense of responsibility that they will reason with the Federal Government. To be honest some of their demands have been sorted out.”
According to her, since this administration came onboard concerted efforts have been made by the Federal Government over their demands.
Daju revealed that the main crux of the doctors’ demands lies on two issues which are payment of the 2023 medical residency training fund (MRTF); immediate release of the circular on one-for-one replacement of exited practice.
She emphasised, “On the payment of the 2023 MRTF we’re appealing to them to kindly await when Ministers are in place because Permanent Secretaries have a threshold and what the government is expected to play is far above the threshold of a Permanent Secretary.
“On the one-on-one placement of the exited doctors the Office of the Head of Service is attending to that and a committee is setup in respect of that demand but we need to be guided and determine who are the exited doctors to ensure that we’re enshrined with the rules of civil service.
The Permanent Secretary appeals to the resident doctors to calloff the strike for the sake of the masses who are suffering and dying as the government will intervene within a short period of time.
