Warning Strike: Resident doctors sign MoU with FG over demands

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors {NARD}, on Friday, signed a Memorandum of Understanding {MoU} with the Federal Government in continuation of efforts as ending its ongoing warning strike.

It would be recalled that NARD called its members out for a five-day warning strike on Wednesday May 17, 2023 to press home their demands after the expiration of 14-day ultimatum. 

The doctors are demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 per cent of the current gross salaries of doctors, immediate massive recruitment of clinical staff in the hospitals and immediate withdrawal of the bill seeking to compel medical and dental graduates to render five-year compulsory services in Nigeria before being granted full licences to practise, among others.

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NARD, on Friday, met with the Senate Committee on Health, the House of Representatives Committee on Health and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, to deliberate on their demands.

NARD President, Dr Emeka Orji, in an interview with The Punch on Saturday, said its National Executive Council will decide on the timelines set in the content of the MoU.

“We have heard the position of the government, and we have told them the position of NARD and we discussed. They told us what they can do, and what they cannot do and why they can’t do those things with timelines, and we signed.

“So we will take back what the government offered to the NEC to accept or reject it and give further directives. Part of the MoU is that NARD will call its NEC in the next 48 hours and brief them on the outcome for them to decide”, Orji said.