By Asmau Ahmad
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) says its members has shelved the proposed industrial action.
The President of NARD, Dr Innocent Orji, who disclosed this on Monday in Abuja during an interview with newsmen, the industrial action has been shelved as negotiations are ongoing with necessary government bodies to meet the demands of the association.
“The National Executive Council (NEC) of the association has mandated the National Officers Committee to engage the Federal Government furtheron issues already outlined and revert back to it if the need arises.
“We took this decision in public interest and peculiarities of the moment.”
The association had on January 11, written a letter to the Federal Government addressing the Ministers of Health and that of Labour and Employment and other relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
The letter was titled “Imminent Nationwide Industrial Disharmony in Health Sector: A Matter of Urgent Administrative Importance.”
In the letter, the resident doctors said there were lingering unresolved issues affecting their members and if those issues were not resolved before its NEC meeting between January 24 and January. 28, there may be industrial action.
Those issues include irregularities in the new circular on upward review of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), outstanding payment of the arrears of the new hazard allowance and non-payment of the skipping arrears for 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Also, non-payment of the consequential adjustment of minimum wage to some of its members, delay in the upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), salary arrears of its members in State Tertiary Health Institutions running into several months, including Abia, Imo, Ondo, Ekiti and Gombe States.
It also stated the non-domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act (MRTA) in most states across the federation as one of the pending issues.
The letter read in part: “We sincerely appreciate the efforts of government through its MDAs in resolving some of the issues raised.
However, after the said meeting which took place in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, the association, in a communique, made certain resolutions.
It urged the Federal Government to without further delay commence the process of payment of the MRTF for 2023 to enable its members use the funds for the February update courses and the March/April/May examinations.
The association also demanded that the activities of the committee set up for the review of the CONMESS be hastened and that NARD should be carried along in the processes for her inputs to be made to avoid unnecessary outcomes.
It, however, welcomed the committee set up by the federal government to mitigate the brain drain in the health sector, and urged a speedy conclusion of their task and immediate implementation of their recommendations to improve healthcare service delivery and reduce the emigration of skilled healthcare workers from the country.
The association urged the Ministry of Health to expedite action on the “one-for-one” policy on the replacement of exited doctors and clinical staff to help reduce the acute shortage of manpower in hospitals and its attendant effect on the psyche and health of healthcare workers.
