The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors reaffirmed on Wednesday that if the Federal Government and its agencies do not comply with its requests, it will go on strike countrywide on September 10.
In an exclusive interview with news correspondent, NARD President Dr. Tope Osundara revealed this.
According to him, the association’s Monday meeting with the federal government ended without any fruitful outcomes.
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NARD warned that its members would go on strike if their demands were not met earlier this week, and it gave the relevant government authorities a 10-day ultimatum.
The physicians denounced the Federal Government’s inability to fulfil its commitments, pointing out that many resident physicians are still unpaid for their 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund and that the five months’ arrears from the 25 percent/35 percent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure review, other long-standing salary arrears, and the 2024 Accoutrement Allowance arrears are among other things.
In accordance to Articles 1 and 2 of the guidelines on collective bargaining agreement machinery, the Federal Government started negotiations with key unions and associations around three weeks ago when it established the Committee on Collective Bargaining for the health sector.
The negotiations are expected to cover remuneration, working conditions, professional development, and the welfare of health workers.
The committee was established in response to a July strike ultimatum from the Nigerian Medical Association and NARD, as well as the suspension of a statewide warning strike by the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives.
However, even after the committee was established, Osundara pointed out that the doctors’ demands had not received any significant attention.
The NARD President noted, “The 10-day ultimatum is still counting. Unfortunately, there has not been a positive response from the government. There is no positive response at all. So, as it stands, my people are angry, and I only hope that there won’t be a breakdown in our healthcare system. After the 10 days of the ultimatum, we cannot guarantee industrial harmony, as we’ve extended a hand of friendship and tried to reason with them.
“So, what it means is that, if my people cannot register for exams, the government has automatically extended their residency training. So, they will automatically lose one year, and it is also not even good for the government because if you lose one year, the government will still have to fund this training the following year, and pay for this year again. So, it is more or less like the government is the one that is losing. Because if you pay the money on time, people can register for the exams, they can go about their businesses, and it will also improve academic excellence.
“As of now, there are other remuneration matters that the government has not attended to. They have not done anything aside from the two-month arrears, out of the seven months, that were paid, and they didn’t pay the accurate amount. So, it’s up to them to find a solution to all of these things.”
Additionally, he lamented that over 2,000 doctors are yet to receive the Medical Residency Training Fund, with the registration window set to close on Friday, September 5.
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“Over 2,000 doctors across every region are yet to receive the MRFT. The government paid some people, and didn’t pay others. Those people who were not paid are really agitated, and the deadline is this Friday.
“Many doctors at the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, University of Port-Harcourt Teaching Hospital, University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, and many more are yet to receive the training fund,” he lamented.
Meanwhile, the Association of Resident Doctors at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, have been on strike since July 29.
Similarly, NARD members in Kaduna State also began an indefinite strike on September 1 to press home their demands.
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