Resident Doctors Join Delta NMA In Three-day Sympathy Strike

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, Delta State has commenced a three-day sympathy strike.

Naija News reports that the striker was in solidarity with the Delta State Chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), who are protesting against the unfavourable working conditions that have exposed its members to professional hazards.

The President of the NARD, Dr Nwabunor Osifo, announced the commencement of the strike on Monday.

He explained that the NARD members took the decision to join their counterparts in the employ of the state government in the agitation for a better condition of service.

According to the NARD president,  members would not stand aloof at these trying times and leave their colleagues in the NMA to fight the battle alone.

He noted that the shortage in the provision of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as well as the non-payment of COVID-19 hazard inducement allowances and non-compliance with the tax rebate for medical practitioners in the state health sector were the main reasons the NARD members were embarking on the three-day warning strike.

Osifo said more than 1,027 doctors nationwide have tested positive for the COVID-19 in the course of duty while 18 of them had lost their lives.