The National Executive Council (NEC) Nigerian of the Association of Resident Doctors (NARD),says its ongoing strike will continue until the federal and state governments of Nigeria meet the demands of its members .
The association conveyed this in a communique issued at the end of a meeting to review the ongoing strike action and the offers of Federal Government so far.
They reiterated their commitment to the smooth running of all tertiary institutions in the country and the provision of specialist healthcare to Nigerians .
They expressed the need to give priority to their to health and welfare in order to give standard care to their patients.
They observed that despite all the efforts of by the National officers committee ( NOC )to ensure that the Federal Government do the needful to prevent the ongoing strike, it has continued in their insincerity of promises hence the current stalemate.
“The NEC expressed her disappointment over the spurious misinformation spewed out by the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment.They noted that NARD gave a 2 month ultimatum before declaring her industrial action when it became apparent that the Ministry of Health was not interested in any form of settlement to avert the avoidable action. This is at variance with the falsehood being peddled by the Honourable Minister.
“They also noted that the Memorandum of Action signed was after 12 midnight on 31st of March, 2021 when the ultimatum had elapsed. Without prejudice to the labour laws and other extant laws of the land, the industrial action had already begun before the MOA was signed and as such, not tenable.”
“They noted the admittance of the Hon Minister of state for health who wholeheartedly agreed that all the issues raised by NARD in her communique are germane and legitimate and further admitted that bureaucratic bottlenecks in government led to delay/ non-implementation of previous memoranda signed with NARD.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the NEC stated clearly that the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors is not a financial arm of the Nigerian government and therefore not involved in any form of payment of residency training funding as was alleged in the meeting called at the instance of the HMOL&E. To set the record straight, the offices and officers involved are the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria and her Registrar as well as the Office of Hospital services and her Director. When the errors in payment were noticed, NARD informed both bodies appropriately for further action as may be necessary”.
