Doctors under the aegis of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) will from Wednesday commence a daily peaceful protest and picketing of the offices of the Federal Ministry of Health and Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

To protest, which will begin by 10 am, will also take place in all Federal and State tertiary health institutions nationwide.

The association stressed its action has become necessary to press home the demands which have been largely neglected by the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Government.

A few days ago, the Federal Ministry of Health, through its Director of Hospital Services, Dr Andrew Noah, directed Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors in the Federal Tertiary Hospitals to invoke a ‘no work, no pay’ policy against striking members of NARD.

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The Ministry also directed the hospitals to maintain an attendance register for all resident doctors willing to work.

This is coming after the doctors association commenced a nationwide indefinite strike on July 26, 2023.

NARD made this known in a statement by its President, Dr. Emeka Orji after its extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, which was held virtually on Saturday.

The statement, which is directed to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, Engr. Adebiyi Olufunso, reads: “We wish to bring to your notice, of the decision of the National Executive Council of NARD to embark on a daily peaceful protests and picketing of the Federal Ministry of Health, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, as well as all federal and state tertiary health institutions nationwide, with effect from Wednesday, 9: August 2023 at 10:00am.

“This has become necessary to press home our demands which have been largely neglected by our parent ministry and the federal government.

“We are pained that rather than make genuine and concerted efforts to resolve the challenges that led to the industrial action despite repeated ultimatums, our parent ministry and the federal government have chosen to demonize Nigerian resident doctors instead, after all their sacrifices and patriotism.

“We therefore resolved that it is time the whole world hears our side of the story – the decay and corruption in the health sector as well as the neglect the public health institutions have suffered all these years that led to repeated industrial actions.

“We believe that the government still has time to genuinely address the issues at stake before Wednesday, 9th August 2023, or leave us with no other option.”

The demands of NARD include: Review of their Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), issuance of a circular by the Federal Ministry of Health for replacement of doctors and nurses that have left the system with new ones, and the payment of salary arrears, improvement in hazard allowance by state governments, among others.

By Moses Emorinken

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