The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors and the Federal Government have reached an agreement, as they signed a Memorandum of Understanding to bring an end to the ongoing strike.
A five-day warning strike started on May 17 to emphasize their demands after the 14-day ultimatum given to the government elapsed. The doctors are requesting an immediate increase of 200% in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, based on the current gross salaries of doctors.
Additionally, the doctors are calling for urgent hiring of more clinical staff in hospitals and the withdrawal of a proposed bill that would enforce a mandatory five-year service for medical and dental graduates in Nigeria before obtaining full licenses to practice, among other demands.
According to The Punch, the doctors met with the Senate Committee on Health, the House of Representatives Committee on Health, and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, to discuss their demands on Friday.
NARD stated that its National Executive Council will determine the specified timelines mentioned in the content of the Memorandum of Understanding.
In a conversation with The Punch on Saturday morning, the President of NARD, Dr Emeka Orji, stated, “We have heard the position of the government, and we have told them the position of NARD and we discussed. They told us what they can do, what they cannot, and why they can’t do those things with timelines, and we signed.”
“So we will take back what the government offered to the NEC to accept or reject it and give further directives. Part of the MoU is that NARD will call its NEC in the next 48 hours and brief them on the outcome for them to decide.”
Meanwhile, the strike which began on Wednesday, continued on Saturday, causing disruptions in medical services across federal hospitals in Nigeria.
