FG Reacts As Resident Doctors Issue Two-week Ultimatum

The Federal Government has reacted to the two-week ultimatum given by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) for the implementation of agreements concerning their demands.

Naija News reported that the resident doctors had on Saturday given the federal government two weeks to meet its demands or face industrial disharmony.

The resident doctors made this known in a communiqué issued on Saturday at the end of its Extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The communiqué was signed by the NARD President, Dr. Emeka Orji; Secretary-General, Dr. Chikezie Kelechi; and Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr Umar Musa.

The association listed some of their demands to include the welfare of the doctors and the alarming rate of their flight to other countries as well as that of other healthcare workers on account of poor remuneration, inadequate funding of the health sector, and the attendant negative effect on the citizens and the health workers.

Other demands are an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) to the tune of 200 percent of the current gross salaries of doctors in addition to the new allowances on the review of the CONMESS.

The NARD also demanded the immediate withdrawal and jettisoning of the bill seeking to compel medical and dental graduates to render five-year compulsory services in Nigeria before being granted full licenses to practice.

Reacting to the ultimatum, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said it was working towards resolving the demands of the doctors before the expiration of the deadline.

In a chat with The Punch, the minister stated that the government has commenced moves to avert the planned strike by the doctors by initiating high-level discussions with them.

He said: “We are working on resolving the demands of the doctors. There are discussions ongoing regarding their demands. I will refer you to the Director of Hospital Services. I’m on an official assignment now.”