Nigerian doctors, under the umbrella of the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD have commenced a five-day warning strike, from Wednesday, 17th May 2023, to Monday, 22nd May, 2023 over the Federal Government’s failure to fulfil it’s part of agreement as it concerns their welfare.


Emeka Innocent, the president of the association said the decision was reached at the NARD’s extraordinary National Executive Council, NEC meeting held virtually on Monday, 15th May, 2023

Earlier, the association, had on Saturday, 29th April, 2023, issued a two-week ultimatum to the government to meet its demands of the immediate payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund, MRTF, tangible steps on the “upward review” of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, CONMESS and payment of all salary arrears owed its members from 2015, or face industrial action.


It also condemned the controversial bill seeking to compel medical and dental practitioners to practise for five years before relocating abroad, noting that such would rather escalate the challenge of brain drain in the health sector.


However, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, described the demands by the doctors as “absurd”, saying that the doctors are suffering from “entitlement syndrome”, as the federal government has gone to great lengths “to give them everything they want”.


The doctors are also demanding for an immediate 200 percent increment in the CONMESS salary structure.

Story: Elizabeth Ereke

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