ABUJA, Nigeria — The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, has launched a five-day warning strike action beginning Wednesday, May 17, 2023, expressing frustration over the federal government’s failure to address their long-standing demands.
This decision was reached after an intense six-and-a-half-hour virtual National Executive Council meeting on Monday, May 15, 2023.
The strike, set to end on Monday, May 22, 2023, at 8 a.m., marks the culmination of growing tensions between the medical community and the government.
NARD had previously issued a two-week ultimatum to the government on April 29, 2023, threatening industrial disharmony if their demands remained unaddressed.
However, the ultimatum passed without any significant move from the government.
Among the doctors’ grievances are a demand for a 200 percent increase in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, effectively tripling the current gross salaries of doctors.
They are also challenging a proposed bill that would compel medical and dental graduates to offer five-year compulsory services in Nigeria before receiving full licences to practice.
Additionally, the resident doctors are advocating for the immediate implementation of the Consolidated Medical Practitioners and Dental Surgeons Enhanced Salary Structure, CONMESS, domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act, and a review of hazard allowances by all the state governments as well as private tertiary health institutions where residency training is conducted.
In a conversation with journalists, Emeka Orji, President of NARD, revealed that the strike would be total, encompassing both emergency and clinical operations in hospitals nationwide.
This decision, he said, was taken after the government failed to negotiate with the doctors following the ultimatum’s expiration on May 13, 2023.
“We’ve been left with no other choice,” Dr. Orji lamented. “Despite our clear ultimatum, there has been no effort from the government to address our concerns.
We are doctors – our duty is to save lives, but we must also fight for our rights and the betterment of our profession.”
As the strike commences, the fate of Nigeria’s already strained healthcare system hangs in the balance.
With no clear resolution in sight, this industrial action is a stark reminder of the persistent challenges facing medical practitioners in the country.
The government’s response in the coming days will be critical in determining the future trajectory of Nigeria’s health sector.
