Members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) are poised to commence an indefinite strike on Thursday.
This followed the expiration of the 60-day ultimatum given to the Federal Government on January 25 for the payment of arrears of salaries of house officers across the country and the review of hazard allowance, among other demands.
NARD slammed the N5,000 hazard allowance paid to its members, adding that since the pandemic began in 2020, it has sadly lost 17 doctors, whose families and loved ones are yet to benefit from the Death in Service Insurance Scheme.
NARD President Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi dropped said this in a statement in Abuja after NARD’s extra-ordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Sunday.
He said: “The NEC observed that her earlier ultimatum given to the Federal Government during the January 2021 NEC meeting in Owerri will expire by 12 midnight on the 31st of March 2021 with no significant achievement.
“The NEC reiterated her full support for the Central Placement of House Officers. Nevertheless, they decried the agony our members have been made to pass through for three months now without salaries despite uninterrupted service delivery to the nation.
“The NEC also observed that despite the three-month window given to the Federal Government to review the hazard allowance of health workers, the hazard allowance has remained a paltry sum of five thousand naira monthly.
“The NEC noted that despite the efforts of NARD, the erroneously paid 2020 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) to non-resident Doctors is yet to be addressed. Also, the 2019, some of 2020 and 2021 MRIF are yet to be paid.”
