The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has declared
indefinite industrial action beginning from tomorrow, June 9, 2016, citing
Federal Government negligence and failure to meet the lingering demands of its
members.
Addressing journalists in Kano yesterday,
President, NARD, Dr. Muhammadu Adamu Askira, posited that resident doctors
would embark on a staggered strike beginning with members across 42 branches
tomorrow, June 9, 2016 followed by a day nationwide solidarity strike on
Wednesday, June 15, 2016 and a total shutdown nationwide on Thursday, June 20,
2016, for failure of the Federal Government and management of various hospitals
to meet their demands.
The association said that all members
across 52 federal and state tertiary healthcare centres would join the initial
strike (June 9) with the exemption of those from ATBUTH Bauchi; FMC Abeokuta;
FMC Azare; FMC Birni Kudu; FMC Keffi; FMC Katsina; FMC Nguru; FMC Yola; FNPH
Calabar; FNPH Enugu; FNPH Maiduguri; FNPH Yola; NHA Abuja; NOHD Kano; NOH
Enugu; NOH Igbobi; OAUTH Ife; UDUTH Sokoto and UMTH Maiduguri.
The exemption, according to NARD, was due
to implementation of all remuneration issues by the management of the centres.
Askira stated that the resolution to
withdraw services was reached at the ordinary general meeting held between May
30 and June 5, 2016 in Jos, Plateau State, after deliberating on critical
issues affecting resident doctors across the country.
According to him, NARD has no alternative
but to result to painful decision considering the sorry plight of its members,
who he claimed, had endured long period of deprivation and disenfranchisement.
He hinted that the congress regretted that
despite several months of engagements with the government and stakeholders,
coupled with five days warning strike and expiration of a 35-day ultimatum, the
demands of the association were yet to be met.
In another development, the Nigeria Medical
Association (NMA), Bayelsa State Chapter, yesterday deplored the non-payment of
five months salaries in the state, saying that the continued delay in payment
of salaries and wages has adversely affected healthcare delivery, among others.
According to the NMA, the non-payment of
salaries in the oil rich state has, among other things, reduced hospital
attendants as patients can no longer procure drugs, pay for test or pay their
bills on their discharge from hospitals.
The body, therefore, warned that it was set
to join its affiliate bodies, come June 27, in an indefinite strike action if
government fails to resolve the lingering crisis in Bayelsa State civil service
before the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum given to government.
Besides, at a press briefing at the NMA
headquarters in Yenagoa and addressed by the Bayelsa State Chairman of the
association, Israel Jeremiah, the doctors’ body slammed the state chapter of
the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) for not
inviting it to the negotiation table between the organised labour and the state
government last month.
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