Resident Doctors threaten nationwide strike; give FG 3-week ultimatum

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) on Saturday said it will resume its suspended nationwide strike in three weeks if the Federal Government fails to meet its demands.

President of the Association, Aliyu Sokomba, sated this during an address to journalists in a press conference in Abuja.

NARD had, on June 22, suspended its nationwide strike, after a virtual meeting of over 300 of its members.

Sokomba had said the association suspended the strike in order to give the Federal and State Governments time to fulfill its outstanding demands.

The association declared an indefinite strike on June 15 over several demands including the provision of adequate PPE for all healthcare workers and immediate reversal of the disengagement of all 26 resident doctors at the University Teaching Hospital in Jos, the Plateau State capital.

Others demands were the universal implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act in all Federal and State Hospitals and ensuring pay parity among doctors of an equal cadre.

NARD also asked the government to implement the revised hazard and payment of agreed COVID-19 inducement allowances, as well as stop and immediately refund all cuts in salaries of their colleagues in Kaduna and other states.