Members of the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD) have issued a 21-day ultimatum to the federal government to address the issues of the state of health in the country, as well as the doctors’ welfare or face a total indefinite withdrawal of services.
The National Executives of the Resident Doctors held a press briefing led by the National President, Dr. Ugochukwu Onyebueze, on Monday after their meeting in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria.
They observed that the health of Nigerian citizens is not being given the attention it deserves due to worsening health indices and dilapidated infrastructures in health institutions in the country.
They also noted the undermining of staff welfare in tertiary health institutions, selective and vindictive non-payment of members who agitate for their dues, epileptic pension and remittance deductions and enormous burden of unpaid salaries among other issues.
The association lamented that despite assurances from the federal and state governments, nothing has been done and they have resolved that the federal government should as a matter of urgency institute mechanism to check the rot in the heath sector and ensure that quality healthcare is accessible to all Nigerians
They also demand that Resident Doctors’ Welfare be made a priority.
In the absence of addressing these issues, the association has vowed to ensure a total and indefinite shut down of services from January 2, 2017.
The press briefing follows the communiqué issued at the end of the Extraordinary National Executive Council Meeting of the association held at the National Trauma Centre of the National Hospital, Abuja, on December 11, 2016.
At that meeting, pertinent issues affecting the quality of healthcare delivery to Nigerians as well as the welfare of its members, were discussed.
