The National Association Resident Doctors (NARD) has said its members decided to suspend the 63-day-old industrial action based on the strength of progress made in the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reached with the federal government.
But the association stressed that it was giving another six weeks window for the government to implement the decisions reached in the MoU, failing which it would summon another emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting to decide on what to do.
Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja, yesterday, NARD President, Dr. Dare Godiya Ishaya, said the NEC meeting assessed the level of implementation of the MoU reached with federal government and was impressed with the progress.
NARD said it was persuaded by various interventions from prominent Nigerians including President Muhammadu Buhari, the Committee of the House of Representatives on Health, among others to suspend the industrial action.
He said: After critical appraisal of the performance of both federal and state governments on all the issues that led to the ongoing strike as stated above, progress made in implementing previous agreements reached with federal government, the interventions of President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Minister of Health, Registrar, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, Chairman of House Representatives Committee on Healthcare Services and his deputy, president of the Nigeria Medical Association and well- meaning Nigerians, government’s show of goodwill to return to the negotiating table, NEC resolved by the votes of a simple majority, to suspend the total and indefinite strike embarked upon on August 2nd, 2021. Therefore, our members will resume full work on Wednesday October 6 by 8 am,” he said.
He said the government has commenced the payment of medical training allowance in about 20 verified centres across the country.
He said NEC noted the commendable level of resolutions of issues involving House Officers by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
In the communiqué jointly signed by Ishaya, NARD Secretary General, Dr. Abiodun Ismail and Publicity/Social Secretary, Dr. Alifa Yusuf, the association stated: “NEC noted that migration of members from the GIFMIS to the IPPIS platform has commenced and almost been completed.
“NEC commended the federal government’s willingness to withdraw the case against NARD at the National Industrial Court of Nigeria and return to negotiation table in the interest of peace in the health sector.”
The communiqué further stated that NEC had noted the willingness of the Head of Service of the Federation to withdraw the obnoxious circular removing House Officers from the Scheme of Service and also acknowledged the explanatory circular from the Salaries, Income and Wages Commission in that regard.
However, Yahaya said the association viewed with great concern the conditions of NARD members working in various states, especially, Abia, Imo, Ekiti and Ondo states currently being owed salaries arrears ranging from 21 months, six months, five months and three months respectively.
He also said NEC meeting viewed with concern perennial issues which he listed to include non-payment of the shortfalls of 2014 to 2016 to her members despite several engagements with the government; arrears of national minimum wage consequential adjustment; and delay in payment of death in service insurance benefit to the next of kin of their members who died in active service.
Another area of concern, Yahaya said was the non-payment of COVID-19 inducement allowance to some NARD members in the federal and state tertiary health institutions.
When asked if the NARD has been able to secure a reversal of the no work no pay order directed by the federal government, Ishaya said the association was having a dialogue to resolve it.
Also on the issue of the new hazard allowance for health workers, he said that negotiations on the modalities for fixing the rates are ongoing among the unions in the health sector.
