Resident Doctors Threaten Fresh Nationwide Strike

The National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD) has threatened to go on another round of nationwide strike if ‘persecution’ of its members in some hospitals continues.

This is happening three days after the association suspended its last nationwide strike. The strike was suspended on July 29 at the association’s National Executive Meeting held in Keffi, Nasarawa State.

Addressing a press conference yesterday in Kano, the National President of the Association, Dr. Muhammad Adamu Askira, said the association had already directed its members in hospitals where outstanding salaries were not paid as at July 30, 2016 to embark on strike.

Dr. Askira said the affected hospitals included FMC Birnin Kebbi, ABUTH Zaria, National Eye Centre Kaduna, National Ear Care Centre Kaduna, FNPH Kaduna, JUTH, Jos, FMC Lokoja, FMC Bida, UITH Ilorin, UATH Gwagwalada, FMC Abuja, LUTH, FMC Owo, FNPH Aro, UBTH, UPTH, ISTH, FNPH, UNTH, FMC Owerri, FMC Umuahia, FMC Asaba, NAUTH, FETHA and FETHI Ekiti.

“NARD will closely monitor the development at these branches as they engage their respective managements and if the managements fail to offset the outstanding salaries, NARD would not mind to embark on another nationwide strike in solidarity,” he said.

He urged state governments where salaries of its members were not paid to expedite the processes of accessing intervention from the federal government to avoid unnecessary interruption of medical services in the respective states.

The president said NARD members had been subjected to various forms of victimization, including a no work, no pay policy following their involvement in the just concluded nationwide strike by the NARD, saying, “The action has violated the agreement we have reached with the federal government.”