The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has called on the Federal Government to prevail on state governments to pay salary arrears owed their members in the country.
This formed part of the resolutions reached at the virtual National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the union after its leadership met with the government.
Addressing reporters on Monday in Abuja, NARD President, Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, noted that authorities in Abia and Imo States owe resident doctors 20 months and five months arrears, respectively.
He stressed the need for the state governments to pay up the arrears within the widow of suspension of the strike by the doctors which he said was four weeks.
Dr Okhuaihesuyi also clarified that the suspension of the industrial action which lasted 10 days was conditional, saying the union would review the government’s responses to their requests by the end of April.
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“The NEC resolved to suspend the ongoing total and indefinite nationwide industrial action from Monday, April 12, 2021, at 8am for a period of four weeks to give room for the government to sort out all pending issues as constrained in the MOA.
“The NEC appealed to all relevant stakeholders to prevail on government and her agencies to keep to their side of the bargain as documented in the Memorandum of Action in order to prevent reoccurring strikes in the health sector,” he said while reading the communique issued at the end of the meeting held on Saturday.
The doctors asked the Federal Government to remove medical training from the concurrent list to allow for the universal implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act across the Federation, including state training institutions.
According to the NARD president, a meeting of stakeholders has been scheduled for Wednesday to determine the new hazard allowance for health workers.
