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  • Buhari can meet resident doctors demands before handover – Orji, President

    Buhari can meet resident doctors demands before handover – Orji, President

    In this interview with LARA ADEJORO, the President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Dr Emeka Orji, speaks about the strike embarked on by members of the association and other related issues

    Many thought you would shelve your strike as you have been doing since your association started issuing threats for industrial action, why did you proceed on the strike?

    We have been shelving the strike for three years now. The last strike we had was around August and September, 2021 and many of the issues we are talking about now were also raised then. When we notify the government that we are going on strike, they will make promises and after some time, they will not fulfil those promises. That was why our members were no longer happy that even with all the multiple threats and engagements, we have yet to resolve these challenges that affect the health sector, our members and Nigerians, leading to massive brain drain in the health sector.

    Before this warning strike action, did you have engagements with the government so that things didn’t have to get to this?

    We issued ultimatums two times last year because of these issues and nothing was done apart from the fact that, for the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, they set up a committee at the Federal Ministry of Health last year. The committee met twice and of course, we were not there and we requested that whenever the committee was meeting with our parent body – Nigerian Medical Association, we should also be invited to take part in the discussion so that we will observe what they are doing and we will be opportune to make input before the collective bargaining agreement is arrived at. But since then, that committee has not met. Our members feel this is how the current government will hand over to the incoming government without addressing these germane issues. We are the largest medical workforce in the country, and we have been trying to resolve the issues amicably but unfortunately, the government has not addressed them and that made us give the two weeks ultimatum on April 29. It will interest you to know that there was total silence, no engagements, no discussion, not even a call (from the government) and I was wondering what they were expecting. The essence of an ultimatum is to alert the government and Nigerians that there are challenges. What is supposed to happen is that you wade in as a government, try to initiate discussions, solve the ones you can, give timelines for the other ones you cannot solve immediately before the end of the ultimatum so that by the time the association is having its reviews, we will have something to report to our members. But in this case, there was nothing.

    Apart from the increase in CONMESS, what are your other demands?

    The very important one is the inadequate manpower, because our members are overstretched. You have one doctor doing the work of so many doctors because the personnel are no longer there, and the hospitals are completely depleted, both in the emergency departments and the clinics and it is affecting the management of patients. That is why we keep saying that we are doing this for Nigerians because they are seeing what we are saying, except you don’t go to hospitals. If you do, you would have noticed what we are talking about. People spend hours in the hospital. So, inadequate manpower should be addressed, and there is already a guideline agreed upon by a committee set up by the Federal Ministry of Health three months ago. Why has the circular not come out? At least, the Chief Medical Directors will begin to replace doctors and nurses that have left. We also have the issue of inadequate infrastructure and we have always said that you cannot address the infrastructure, personnel, welfare and manpower needs in the health sector without improving the budgetary allocation. There is no shortcut. As long as you do not do it, you are not going to have the needed workforce, and the issues will remain.

     

    What are the other demands?

    We also talk about the obnoxious bill by Honourable Ganiyu Johnson (a member of the House of Representatives) and we want the bill to be withdrawn. There is no point remaining silent on it. We do not want to be taken by surprise, we will just wake up one day and see that the bill has been passed. We want them to withdraw the bill. They have seen the outcry, not just from doctors but from everybody. Right now, the government is condemning the bill, but the parliament should take a step further by totally withdrawing the bill and addressing the root cause of brain drain which is inadequate remuneration and deplorable welfare packages. Once this is done, people will stay and it will reverse the brain drain trend because many people who have gone out, we are in talks with them and it is not as if they are enjoying themselves. The thing is that the working conditions are good, the facilities are there and the pay is far better, but they are still second-class citizens there. They want to come back home, but when they compare what they are being paid there and what is paid here, they will cope with the stress and remain there. So, if you improve the remuneration; you do not necessarily need to pay what is paid there because we know that the economic conditions are not the same, the revenue conditions are not the same, but we know that even with what Nigeria is getting now in form of revenue, they should be able to improve this significantly and that was why we pegged it at 200 per cent increment in CONMESS.

    Some people would think an upward review of your salary by 200 per cent is outrageous, what do you make of that?

    We are scientists and we do not base our discussion on rumours. We have said that for you to take us back to where we were in 2009, our studies have shown that taking into consideration the cost of living in 2009, the fuel price, the inflation rate, the exchange rate, then it has to be increased to a minimum of 270 per cent. So, we are being considerate by bringing it down to 200 per cent. What you do during negotiations is that you present your facts, the government will present theirs and you will discuss. The government can come up with their data showing that they need to increase by a percentage different from ours and when we are convinced, then we will take it back to our members and we will discuss.

     The Federal Government has described your strike as unnecessary and that the NMA is negotiating with the Federal Government on behalf of all medical bodies. Are you aware of this?

    That is the government’s position. Our position is different and we have communicated the position with facts. If you hear that the NMA is negotiating, what we are saying is that the NMA is not negotiating because negotiation has not happened this year, let them prove us wrong. We know that salary increment is a product of collective bargaining. We have our facts. More attention should be paid to the Ministry of Health. These issues have not been addressed by the ministry and it is squarely their responsibility to address them. It is only when they fail that they can now call on the Ministry of Labour and Employment to intervene. The committee on the upward review of CONMESS was set up by the Ministry of Health, yet that committee has not met this year and they have not come up with a CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement). What happened was that the government offered the NMA a certain percentage without a CBA. Even if the NMA has accepted what the government is offering, where is the circular on the upward review of the circular?

    There was a time you appreciated the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, for his interventions during a programme on the television, but you seem not to align with his recent statements regarding your demands. What would you say went wrong?

    Nothing went wrong and that is not strange. We cannot always agree. He has helped us several times in the past. In fact, for many of the issues that would have pushed us to strike, he was able to intervene and resolve them before getting to the stage of a strike. But like I keep saying, we have the Ministry of Health, which is our parent ministry, and we have two ministers there. They should wade in and resolve these issues. It is only when they try and they are not able to resolve them and it is leading to a strike that the Ministry of Labour will be called in and that is why we are also doing this to keep explaining our stand. I believe that by the time we keep talking and Dr Ngige sits down to analyse these issues, he will agree with us.

    What do you make of the statement of him saying that you were feeling entitled regarding your demands?

    What we make out of it is to continue to explain because that statement is possibly coming from the fact that we have not sat down with him to actually explain what is happening. I am sure that if we have that opportunity to explain and have a genuine dialogue, he will understand that it is not about having a feeling of entitlement and that we are raising germane issues affecting the health sector. Even after that statement that was credited to him, he has also come out to address one of the issues which we raised on the Medical and Dental Practitioners Act (Amendment) Bill, which seeks to compel medical and dental graduates to serve for five years to earn a full licence. He has condemned it publicly. You would ask yourself, how come the Ministry of Health has not done the same? That is why we are insisting that the bill should be withdrawn because it will not help the situation, but it will worsen it.

    What happens if the government does not meet your demands after the warning strike?

    What happens next will be dependent on what our members give us directives to execute but we know that all options are on the table. Indefinite strike action is on the table, shutdown of all the health facilities in the country and other government institutions are on the table. And we are still going to raise the alarm that the government should address the situation before it gets to that stage. We are not fighting the government. We are only using the instrument available to us to press home our demands. When the issues are resolved, we will not have time to continue to have industrial disharmony.

    What do you think the incoming president should do differently to avert a strike in the health sector?

    Whatever policy will affect any group of workers should be discussed in the presence of the workers or their representatives, because there may be vital information that we will give to them that they may not know because we are the ones on the ground, we know what is happening. Even with this brain drain, we have always said any solution that the government will bring up should involve us, and it is because we were not involved in that bill that caused that grievous mistake. They should increase the budgetary allocation to health, it will help to improve the infrastructural needs of the hospitals, and they should beam their searchlight and ensure that funds being released are effectively utilised without corruption. They should try to treat their doctors and nurses well. They keep calling us essential service providers but we are not seeing anything that shows that they mean what they say. They should not allow issues to get to workers going on strike before addressing them because usually when that happens, you have a crisis, and the collateral damages are enormous.

    As this government winds down, how would you rate its commitment to the health sector and the welfare of health workers, compared to those before it?

    The rating of this government has not been done by NARD and it is not in my place to talk about that because I have not received any mandate from our members to rate this government in terms of their activities and achievements in the health sector.

    This government is almost out, and some people would say it’s futile to expect it to make any commitment now. Why didn’t you wait for the new government to come in?

    We have a government in place, they should not just wind down before May 29, they should still steer the ship of government before the inauguration. As I said earlier, many of these issues can be resolved in days, and if they commit to it, they can resolve many of the issues. For instance, for the circular, it is just to draft it because the resolution has been reached. It is just to draft it. On the Medical Residency Training Fund, we are aware the list has been submitted, the fund was budgeted for, and all that is needed is for them to give instructions for payment to start. On the 200 per cent minimum review of CONMESS, they should finalise with the committee they set up and the stakeholders, including us, and the circular will come out. We know that one or two things will need some days but you have to start; give timelines and we will continue with the next administration. The incoming government can also wade in because they will soon take over, so they are allowed to wade in. We are willing to discuss with them to find a way out of this even before they take over the government.

     

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  • Strike: Resident doctors sign MoU with FG over demands

    Strike: Resident doctors sign MoU with FG over demands

    Lara Adejoro

    The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Government in an effort to end the ongoing strike.

    NARD commenced a five-day warning strike on May 17 to press home their demands after a 14-day ultimatum.

    The doctors are demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 per cent of the current gross salaries of doctors.

    The doctors also want immediate massive recruitment of clinical staff in the hospitals, and immediate withdrawal of the bill seeking to compel medical and dental graduates to render five-year compulsory services in Nigeria before being granted full licences to practise; among others.

    The doctors on Friday, 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 deliberate on their demands.

    According to NARD, its National Executive Council will decide on the timelines set in the content of the MoU.

    Speaking with our correspondent on Saturday morning, the NARD President, Dr. Emeka Orji said, “We have heard the position of the government, and we have told them the position of NARD and we have discussed. They told us what they can do, and what they cannot do 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 started on Wednesday, continued on Saturday, with medical services hampered in federal hospitals around the country.

    Most of the medical facilities, since the strike commenced are being manned by consultants, with help from other healthcare personnel.

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  • Strike: Negotiations ongoing with Resident doctors to resolve issues – FG

    Strike: Negotiations ongoing with Resident doctors to resolve issues – FG

    The Federal Government has revealed that negotiations are ongoing with stakeholders over the five-day warning strike embarked upon by members of the National Association of Resident Doctors on Wednesday.

    While fielding questions from newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, the Director, Public Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr.  Morenike Alex-Okoh, said the strike was of concern for the government.

    “The situation with the doctors’ strike is of concern to the government and the negotiations have been ongoing.

    “We will continue under the circumstances, so, I can’t give you any conclusive response now.

    “However, government, the leadership of the ministry and relevant stakeholders are meeting to resolve the situation as quickly as possible,’’ she said.

    NARD served the FG a notice FG on Tuesday, warning that it could not guarantee further industrial harmony should there be a failure to address issues raised before May 29.

    NARD’s letter entitled, “Notice of Strike Action’’ was signed jointly by its National President, Dr. Innocent Orji and Secretary-General, Dr. Chikezie Kelechi.

    They stated that NARD had issued a two-week ultimatum to the FG to resolve issues as contained in the ultimatum before its expiration on May 13.

    The letter read in part, “Regrettably, the issues have remained unresolved despite several attempts by NARD to get the government to resolve them.

    “Rising from her Extra-Ordinary Meeting on Monday, May 15, NARD’s National Executive Council resolved to embark on a five-day warning strike beginning on May 17.’’

    The doctors are demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 per cent of the current gross salaries of doctors.

    NARD is also demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Bill seeking to compel medical and dental graduates to serve compulsorily in Nigeria for five years before getting full licences to practise.

    It also wants immediate domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act and a review of Hazard Allowance by state governments.

    The Reportr Door reports that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, had on Tuesday, relayed the FG’s warning to the association to shelve the strike.

    He issued the warning shortly after receiving a letter of notification from the NARD executive on the planned strike.

    In a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Olajide Oshundun, Ngige said the planned strike was illegal.

    “There is nothing like a warning strike. A strike is a strike. If they want to take that risk, the options are there. They have the right to strike. You can’t deny them that right.

    “Their employer has another right under Section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act, however, to withhold their pay for those five days.

    “If the NARD has strike funds to pay its members for those five days, no problem.

    “The health minister will instruct teaching hospitals to employ ad-hoc people for those five days and use the money of the people who went on strike to pay the ad-hoc doctors,’’ Ngige said.

    He advised the doctors to avail themselves of the opportunity to dialogue with their employers, rather than embarking on a warning strike, which is unknown to the law.

    NARD awaits FG’s call for negotiations

    Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, the President of NARD, Dr. Orji said that members were still awaiting the FG’s call for negotiations.

    “I am still in my hotel room now and I have not received any call to come to the table to discuss the strike.

    “We also heard that the government is planning a no-work-no-pay strategy, but our position is that it should resolve issues raised because that is the only way to avoid escalation.

    “Issuing threats will definitely worsen the problem. If no-work-no-pay is implemented, our members will determine how we will handle it.

    “Going by that route will escalate the problem because it means that government is not ready to address the issues we have raised and will rather give punitive measures.

    “Our members will decide and give us further directives, but no one should blame us if they decide to escalate the strike,’’ he said.

     

    NAN

  • Negotiations ongoing with Resident doctors – FG

    Negotiations ongoing with Resident doctors – FG

    The Federal Government says negotiations are ongoing with stakeholders over the five-day warning strike embarked upon by members of the National Association of Resident Doctors on Wednesday.

    Fielding questions from newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday, the Director, Public Health, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr Morenike Alex-Okoh, said the strike was of concern for the government.

    “The situation with the doctors’ strike is of concern to the government and the negotiations have been ongoing.

    “We will continue under the circumstances, so, I cannot give you any conclusive response now.

    “However, government, the leadership of the ministry and relevant stakeholders are meeting to resolve the situation as quickly as possible,’’ she said.

    NARD served notice on the FG on Tuesday warning that it could not guarantee further industrial harmony should government fail to address issues raised before May 29.

    NARD’s letter entitled: “Notice of Strike Action’’ was signed jointly by its National President, Dr Innocent Orji and Secretary-General, Dr Chikezie Kelechi.

    They stated that NARD had issued a two-week ultimatum to the FG to resolve issues as contained in the ultimatum before its expiration on May 13.

    The letter read in part, “Regrettably, the issues have remained unresolved despite several attempts by NARD to get the government to resolve them.

    “Rising from her Extra-Ordinary Meeting on Monday, May 15, NARD’s National Executive Council resolved to embark on a five-day warning strike beginning on May 17.’’

    The doctors are demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 per cent of the current gross salaries of doctors.

    NARD is also demanding the immediate withdrawal of the Bill seeking to compel medical and dental graduates to serve compulsorily in Nigeria for five years before getting full licences to practise.

    It also wants immediate domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act and a review of Hazard Allowance by state governments.

    The PUNCH reports that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, had on Tuesday, relayed the FG’s warning to the association to shelve the strike.

    He issued the warning shortly after receiving a letter of notification from the NARD executive on the planned strike.

    In a statement signed by the Director, Press and Public Relations in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Olajide Oshundun, Ngige said the planned strike was illegal.

    “There is nothing like a warning strike. A strike is a strike. If they want to take that risk, the options are there. They have the right to strike. You cannot deny them that right.

    “Their employer has another right under Section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act, however, to withhold their pay for those five days.

    “If the NARD has strike funds to pay its members for those five days, no problem.

    “The health minister will instruct teaching hospitals to employ ad-hoc people for those five days and use the money of the people who went on strike to pay the ad-hoc doctors,’’ Ngige said.

    He advised the doctors to avail themselves of the opportunity to dialogue with their employers, rather than embarking on a warning strike, which is unknown to the law.

    NARD awaits FG’s call for negotiations

    Speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria, the President of NARD, Dr Orji said that members were still awaiting the Federal Government’s call for negotiations.

    “I am still in my hotel room now and I have not received any call to come to the table to discuss the strike.

    “We also heard that the government is planning a `no work, no pay’ strategy, but our position is that it should resolve issues raised because that is the only way to avoid escalation.

    “Issuing threats will definitely worsen the problem. If no work, and no pay is implemented, our members will determine how we will handle it.

    “Going by that route will escalate the problem because it means that government is not ready to address the issues we have raised and will rather give punitive measures.

    “Our members will decide and give us further directives, but no one should blame us if they decide to escalate the strike,’’ he said.

    NAN

  • Strike: Resident doctors’ demands absurd, says Ngige

    Strike: Resident doctors’ demands absurd, says Ngige

    Lara Adejoro, Abuja

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige has described the demands of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors in an ultimatum issued to the Federal Government as absurd.

    He said the government has given the doctors everything they want and their sense of entitlement was becoming “too much.”

    NARD had on Saturday given the Federal Government two weeks to meet its demands or face industrial action.

    The doctors are demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 per cent of the current gross salaries of doctors.

    The doctors also want the immediate withdrawal and jettisoning of the bill seeking to compel medical and dental graduates to render five-year compulsory services in Nigeria before being granted full licences to practise.

    They also want the immediate implementation of CONMESS, domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act and review of hazard allowance by all the state governments, as well as Private tertiary health institutions where any form of residency training is been done, among others.

    Speaking on Arise Television on Monday, Dr. Ngige said the doctors’ demands are absurd and have the option of leaving the country.

    He said employers are entitled to keep employees’ salaries if they go on strike.

    “If the NARD who we have been managing their matter, we are giving them everything they want, including their Medical Resident Training Fund, we are paying them, even when in training, pay them full salary, pay them all the allowances and you decided that we have not done enough.

    “Like I said before, you have an option to go. It is left for the education ministry and the health ministry to fashion out what they can do.

    “You asked that a bill by one of the members of the House of Representatives be removed and that is one of the reasons you want to go on strike. How can the government tell a member who has done a private member’s bill… It is not even an executive bill, you now release it as one of the conditions of going on strike, that is absurd.

    “The entitlements syndrome, the sense of entitlement is too much in this country and like I said earlier, you obey the law you look odd, you apply the law, you look odd or you are a wicked man. I don’t have any apologies for whatever I have done in the management of trade disputes,” Dr. Ngige said.

     

  • Strike looms as resident doctors issue FG two-week ultimatum

    Strike looms as resident doctors issue FG two-week ultimatum

    Lara Adejoro, Abuja

    The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has given the Federal Government two weeks ultimatum to implement agreements concerning their demands or face industrial disharmony.

    The association made this known in a communiqué issued on Saturday, at the end of their Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting held in Abeokuta, Ogun state.

    The meeting which was held from Thursday, April 27 to Saturday, 29, was predicated upon burning issues affecting the welfare of doctors and the alarming rate of brain drain on account of poor remuneration, grossly inadequate funding of the health sector, and the attendant negative effect on the citizens and health workers.

    The doctors are demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 per cent of the current gross salary of doctors in addition to the new allowances included in the letter written by the association to the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire on July 7, 2022, on the review of CONMESS.

    The communiqué signed by the association’s President, Dr. Emeka Orji; Secretary-General, Dr. Chikezie Kelechi; and the Publicity & Social Secretary, Dr. Umar Musa, noted that there have been previous ultimatums issued to the government by NARD on the review of the CONMESS.

    The NEC said despite several engagements by NARD with the government on the need to upwardly review CONMESS, which was last reviewed over ten years ago, the government has not taken any tangible step to address the issue.

    It recalled that the previous collective bargaining agreement on CONMESS stated clearly that the salary structure would be due for review after five years, but that it has not been done since the implementation in 2014, though the approval was given in 2009.

    It noted that many state governors are yet to implement the appropriate CONMESS structure, domesticate the Medical Residency Training Act or improve on the hazard allowance paid to doctors and other health workers, while still owing a backlog of salary arrears to its members.

    Apart from the upward review of CONMESS, the NEC also demanded the immediate withdrawal and jettisoning of the bill seeking to compel medical and dental graduates to render five-year compulsory services within Nigeria, before being granted full licence to practise.

    “NEC demands immediate payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund in line with the agreements reached at the stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Federal Ministry of Health at the Honourable Minister of State for Health’s conference room. This should be done without further delay.

    “NEC demands the commencement of payment of all salary arrears owed to our members including 2014, 2015, and 2016 salary arrears as well as areas of the consequential adjustment of the minimum wage. NEC demands immediate massive recruitment of clinical staff in the hospitals and complete abolishment of bureaucratic limitations to the immediate replacement of doctors who leave the system.

    “NEC demands immediate infrastructural development in our various hospitals without further delay and insists on at least 15 per cent budgetary allocation to health subsequently,” the communiqué read in part.

    The Council also demanded for the immediate implementation of CONMESS, domestication of MRTA, and review of hazard allowance by all the state governments as well as Private Tertiary Health Institutions where any form of Residency Training is being done.

    “NEC demands immediate commencement of payment of all salary arrears owed to our members by the various state Governments, notorious amongst which is the Abia State government.

    “NEC resolved to issue the government a two-week ultimatum beginning today, 29th April 2023, to resolve all these demands, following the expiration of which on the May 13, 2023, we may not be able to guarantee industrial harmony in the sector nationwide,” it added.

     

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  • Increase funding for health, resident doctors urge Tinubu 

    Increase funding for health, resident doctors urge Tinubu 

    The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has urged the incoming administration of President-Elect, Sen. Bola Tinubu, to increase funding for health.

    The association’s National President, Dr. Innocent Orji, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Abuja.

    He said that the increase should be to at least 15 per cent of the nation’s yearly budget, in line with the Abuja Declaration of 2001.

    He added that ”to be honest, an increase in health funding will help to tackle the myriad of problems bedevilling the sector.

    “Secondly, we expect improved infrastructure development from all aspects, be it architectural, technological, or human.”

    The national president also said that NARD members are expecting improved remuneration to tackle the increasing economic hardship and dwindling naira value, adding that some doctors were still being owed several months of salaries and allowances, especially in the State Tertiary Health Institutions.

    Orji said, ”as an association and as healthcare professionals, we expect improved conditions.”

    He also urged the government to give priority attention to training, both within and outside the country, with a special focus on primary healthcare.

    On the issue of brain drain of medical professionals, the association’s president said ”it is one of the biggest challenges presently facing the health sector. There is a need for government to take urgent action.

    “So, we want the incoming government to identify and solve the root cause of the syndrome and take deliberate measures toward reversing it.”

    He, however, said that the challenge of brain drain was fueled by poor health infrastructure due to poor funding and inadequate training, especially in highly specialised areas.

    Orji added that poor remuneration, lack of incentives and welfare packages, unsafe work environment, and insecurity were other factors influencing the migration of medical personnel to other countries.

    He, however, said that as an association, it is always open and ready to partner with the government in resolving challenges.

    He congratulated the incoming administration, wishing it the best as it gets set to pilot the affairs of the nation. 

    (NAN)

  • Resident doctors suspend planned nationwide strike

    Resident doctors suspend planned nationwide strike

    Our reporters

    The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has suspended its plan to embark on a nationwide strike.

    The decision to halt the planned action came after the National Executive Committee meeting of the association in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, where it reviewed the process.

    The doctors had threatened to embark on a nationwide strike earlier in January over the inability of the government to address their demands.

    The doctors are seeking an upward review of the medical residency training fund, as they kicked against the non-payment of outstanding arrears of the new hazard allowance, as well as the non-payment of the consequential adjustment of the minimum wage to some of its members.

    Channels Television reported that at the end of the NEC meeting, the doctors commended the Federal Government for the timely release of the reviewed circular on the medical residency training fund.

    The committee also hailed the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, for the other steps taken to upscale the welfare of its members.

    The doctors however asked the Federal Government to pay all other outstanding arrears owed its members.

    They also appealed to Nigeria Governors’ Forum to prevail on the governors of Abia, Ekiti, Imo, and Ondo states, who according to them are still owing salaries of their members ranging from three months to 25 months.

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  • Resident doctors threaten nationwide strike over unresolved issues

    Resident doctors threaten nationwide strike over unresolved issues

    Lara Adejoro

    The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has petitioned the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire on lingering unresolved issues affecting its members.

    The NARD says if the issues are not resolved before its January 2023 National Executive Council meeting, scheduled for January 24th to 28th 2023, the doctors may embark on nationwide industrial disharmony in the health sector.

    The resident doctors, in the letter dated January 5, 2023, signed by the President and Secretary General of the association, Dr. Emeka Orji and Chikezie Kelechi respectively, said it had issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government six months ago on account of lingering unresolved issues affecting its members.

    The doctors noted that the lingering unresolved issues include the irregularities in the new circular on the upward review of the Medical Residency Training Fund, outstanding payment of the arrears of the new hazard allowance, and non-payment of the skipping arrears for 2014, 2015, and 2016.

    Other issues are the non-payment of the consequential adjustment of the minimum wage to some of our members, and the delay in the upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, among others.

    According to the letter, the association said it issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government six months ago on account of the lingering issues.

    The letter titled ‘Imminent nationwide industrial harmony in the health sector: A matter of urgent administrative importance’ read in part, “Recall Sir, that NARD issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government 6 months ago on account of lingering unresolved issues affecting our members, including the irregularities in the new circular on the upward review of the Medical Residency Training Fund, outstanding payment of the arrears of the new hazard allowance, non-payment of the skipping arrears for 2014, 2015 and 2016, non-payment of the consequential adjustment of the minimum wage to some of our members, delay in the upward review of the CONMESS, salary arrears of our members in State Tertiary Health Institutions running into several months, including Abia, Imo, Ondo, Ekiti, and Gombe States, and non-domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act in most states across the Federation.

    “We sincerely appreciate the efforts of the government through its ministries, departments, and agencies in resolving some of the issues raised. However, many of them remain largely unresolved and have now become sources of serious nationwide agitation threatening industrial peace and harmony in the health sector.

    “Notable ones amongst them include omitted 2020 MRTF payment; irregularities in the new MRTF circular inconsistent with the Medical Residency Training Act, existing Collective Bargaining Agreements, and current economic realities and review of CONMESS salary Structure.

    “Sir, our January 2023 National Executive Council meeting has been scheduled for January 24th to 28th 2023, and we can confirm very clear feelers that if these issues are not sorted out before that meeting, our members will likely give us the mandate to immediately kick-start processes that will lead to a nationwide industrial disharmony in the health sector.

    “Sir, we know how critical this period is and the chaos that will ensue if the government does not take steps to prevent this from happening, and so we humbly implore you to use your good offices to resolve these issues before our January NEC meeting.

    “Sir, we trust in your fatherly disposition and believe that you will come to our aid and save this nation from this imminent industrial disharmony.”

    When contacted, the Deputy Director/Head, Media and Publicity of the Federal Ministry of Health, Ahmadu Chindaya said he was not aware of the letter yet.

    He said, “The petition comes to the Permanent Secretary’s office. It has to take processes, it has to go to the table of the Permanent Secretary. This is news to me, I didn’t know, I’m not aware because all official letters come through the upper registry, which is the first point of call, they have to stamp and receive it, process it, and push it further. So, I don’t know about it.”

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  • NARD laments unpaid 1,600 resident doctors’ training fund

    NARD laments unpaid 1,600 resident doctors’ training fund

    Lara Adejoro

    No fewer than 1,600 members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors from over 30 health facilities in the country are yet to be paid their Medical Residency Training Fund since 2020, Sunday Reportr Door reports.

    This is even as NARD warned that it might take a drastic action if nothing was done by the Federal Government to pay the doctors the MRTF and address its other demands.

    The association had last year asked the government to pay the 2020 MRTF to members who were yet to be paid and to review the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, among others.

    The medical residency training is a postgraduate specialist training for medical practitioners and dental surgeons to be certified as specialists in a specialised branch of medicine or dentistry.

    The MRTF is the fund paid to resident doctors by the Federal Government through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system for the purpose of the training programme.

    Speaking in an interview with our correspondent, NARD President, Dr. Emeka Orji, said the association would write government regarding its growing concerns.

    “For 2020, we have over 1,600 resident doctors who have not been paid the MRTF. You can see it’s a large number of people from 30 centres involved.

    “We are going to have our January National Emergency Council meeting in Uyo in less than three weeks. In fact, we are preparing to write to the government to notify them of this growing agitation.

    “Remember, there was an ultimatum last year which has elapsed. People should not be surprised if we end that meeting in Uyo with something drastic, so we need to call the attention of the government and see how they can address them before that meeting.

    “We have done everything that we have been asked to do and provided everything that we were asked to provide and up till now, I think the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Ministry of Finance have not come to an agreement of what is required before the doctors who were omitted in 2020 would be paid.

    “We just see it as a delay tactics; we have done the leg work, trying to convince them but there is a limit to what the national officers can do. We are only worried that this is a very critical time in this country to shut down health services and that is why we are going to draw the attention of the government to it this week, hoping that they see the danger and try to address these things.”

    Speaking further, Orji said the association was not aware of any plan by the government to review doctors’ salaries.

    “The government has agreed to set up a committee for the review of CONMESS but as it is, NARD is not aware whether the committee has been set up or it is meeting. As far as we are concerned as an association, we have not seen any movement on the part of the government to accede to that demand because we have not been called to any meeting about that.”

    Efforts to reach the Deputy Director/Head, Media and Publicity of the Federal Ministry of Health, Ahmadu Chindaya, for comments proved abortive.

    He did not take his calls and had yet to respond to a text message sent to him as of press time.

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    All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from Reportr Door.

    Contact: [email protected]