National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD) has threatened to go on strike indefinitely if the government fails to meet their demands about wages and PPE
The association expressed displeasure with the way the FCT administration was handling the issue, adding that the morale and motivation of its members were at an all-time low.
NARD President, Dr Aliyu Sokomba, announced this while addressing a press conference on Monday in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. He stated that the union has decided to exempt its members working in various coronavirus (COVID-19) isolation and treatment centres across the country.
Dr Aliyu Sokomba stated the union has decided to exempt its members working in various coronavirus (COVID-19) isolation and treatment centres across the country. he further stated that the union took the decision to go on strike as a result of the failed series of meetings between the doctors and the Federal Government in the last two weeks.
According to the NARD president, the meetings have failed to resolve the persisting industrial disputes which include the non-payment of special allowances for the resident doctors.
Mr sokomba also decried the deplorable state of hospitals and the lack of protective equipment for members of the union treating COVID-19 patients he said the lack of basic amenities in hospitals has exposed many of the health workers to coronavirus and resulted in the death of some of them.
He futher stated that all resident doctors, medical officers below the rank of Principal Medical Officer (PMO), and House Officers across all the Federal and State Hospitals in Nigeria are expected to join the strike.
The NERD association urged the government to implement the revised hazard and payment of agreed COVID-19 inducement allowances, as well as stop and immediately refund all cuts in salaries of their colleagues in Kaduna and other states.
Meanwhile The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control NCDC has reported 501 new cases of the Coronavirus in the country the toatal number of the Novel Virus to 15,682.
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