The Nigerian government has announced its intention to enforce the “no work, no pay” policy on resident doctors who are currently on strike.

The government said the decision was made in response to the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors’ (NARD) seven-day warning strike, which began on Monday.

According to a statement on Thursday by Assistant Director on information and Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Ado Bako, the government was “disappointed” that NARD chose to go on strike despite ongoing negotiations and efforts to address their concerns.

The strike was called in response to the abduction of Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, a registrar at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna, who was kidnapped eight months ago along with her husband and nephew. While her husband was released in March, Dr. Popoola and her nephew remain in captivity.

The Ministry emphasised its commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all healthcare workers, including resident doctors, and highlighted the progress made in recent negotiations.

However, the government will not tolerate industrial action that disrupts essential healthcare services and will enforce the “no work, no pay” policy accordingly, the statement noted.

“Over the past months, the ministry, in collaboration with relevant security agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, have been working tirelessly to ensure the immediate and safe rescue of Dr Ganiyat Popoola. High-level discussions and coordinated efforts are currently underway and we remain confident that these measures will lead to a positive outcome,” the ministry believes.

“The ministry finds the decision to proceed with this strike action, in the midst of these ongoing discussions, deeply regrettable. We believe that continued dialogue is the best approach to resolving any outstanding issues.

“In view of this, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare wishes to bring to the notice of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), that in line with extant labour laws, the Federal Government will evoke the “No Work, No Pay” for the number of days the strike was observed.

“This measure is not intended to undermine the legitimate concerns of our medical professionals but to ensure that essential healthcare services are not unduly disrupted to the detriment of the public.”

While appealing to the doctors to return to the negotiation table to find lasting solutions to the challenges facing the healthcare sector, the ministry maintained it “remains open to constructive dialogue and is committed to working together with all stakeholders to achieve a fair and sustainable resolution.”

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