FG carpets resident doctors, says strike needless

…NARD suspends industrial action after parley with govs

The Federal Government says the strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) was “needless and insensitive” because issues raised by the association had received attention.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made this known at a media briefing on Sunday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the briefing was jointly addressed by Mohammed and Ministers of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige.

This is even as the NARD), on Sunday, suspended its indefinite strike which started on June 15. The suspension of the strike followed a meeting between the association and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in Abuja.

Mohammed noted that the strike embarked upon by the Doctors since June 12 was uncalled for, considering the facts the government had responded to their needs and requests.

“It is pertinent to say that the issues raised by the association while issuing its ultimatum on June 1, have received or are receiving full attention,” he said.

Specifically, the minister said that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) have been supplied to all States and Federal Tertiary Hospitals and funds for the same were being provided in the revised 2020 budget.

He said the implementation of the Residency Training programme was backed by the National Assembly, which provided ₦4 billion in the revised 2020 budget.

“We have paid N9 billion as premium for Group Life Insurance to all our health workers and over N4.6 billion as Special Hazard Allowance to health workers as already acknowledged in at least 35 hospitals.

“In summary, a total of 55,031 health workers have been paid comprising 23 COVID-19 designated Hospitals and Medical Centres and 8 non-COVID-19 designated centres amounting to over N7.9 billion,” he said.

He added that other matters relating to non-payment of arrears dating back as 2014 or salaries owed by State Governments, were either in court, or beyond the power of the Federal Ministry of Health to resolve.

On addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, the minister said apart from the provision of PPEs and other equipment, the Federal Government expanded testing laboratories from two to 38.

He said the government has trained over 13,000 health workers on Infection, Prevention and Control (IPC) as well as developed policy and protocols for testing returning Nigerians.

Mohammed said the government has evolved policies and protocols for integration of primary healthcare into national response and increased isolation centre bed space from 3,000 to more than 5,000 nationwide.

The minister expressed concerns that the doctors still opted for the strike in spite of addressing all issues raised and negotiations facilitated by the National Assembly.

“We must express the government’s consternation that resident doctors will choose a time like this, when we are battling a pandemic, to embark on a strike.

Resident doctors suspend strike after parley with govs

“This negates what obtains in other parts of the world, where health workers are rallying around their governments to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Nigeria must be among, if not the only nation, where doctors – who are classified as essential workers – have opted for a strike during a national health emergency,” he said.

Mohammed noted that, though many options were opened to the Federal Government in tackling the strike, yet it chose negotiation over confrontation.

On his part, Ngige said it was a dire time for any sector, particularly the health sector to embark on strike.

He re-echoed that all issues raised by the Doctors had been met by the Government and they should have trust in the Federal Ministry of Health.

The minister disclosed that the leadership of NARD contacted him by midnight and hinted on the suspension of the strike.

Speaking in the same vein, Ehanire said it was not time for acrimony and all hands must be on deck for the country to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic and salvage the health sector.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its indefinite strike which started on June 15. This followed a meeting between the association and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) in Abuja.

NARD President, Dr. Aliyu Sokomba, announced this while addressing a news conference on Sunday in Abuja.

“The National Executive Council has resolved to suspend the ongoing indefinite strike with effect from June 22, by 8am prompt.

“The national officers shall continue negotiations with stakeholders and progress made shall be reviewed in four weeks during the next National Executive Council meeting in July 2020.

“The decision to suspend the strike was taken in order to give the federal and state governments’ time to fulfil the outstanding demands following an appeal by the speaker of the House of Representatives, secretary to the government of the federation, chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum and other stakeholder,” Sokomba said.

He acknowledged the provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) in some hospitals, but said there was still need for sustained supplies.

The president also announced that the medical residency training fund had been included in the revised 2020 budget through the intervention of House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila and would be implemented as soon as the budget is assented to by the President.

He, however, gave the Federal Government four weeks to make good on its promises.

“At the same time, we await the fulfilment of the promise made by the Nigeria Governors Forum to ensure the same is done in all the states. On the salary shortfall for 2014-2016, the secretary to the government of the federation has promised to intervene.

“Government has shown commitment to secure group life insurance for health workers. That the disengaged resident doctors at the Jos University Teaching Hospital have been reinstated, the chief medical director has been directed to pay their withheld salaries and comply with the provisions of the medical residency.

“On state tertiary health institutions, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum, Governor Kayode Fayemi and the Director General, Mr. Asishana Okauru, appealed to be given time to discuss with other state governors of Kogi, Gombe, Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Enugu, Anabara, Abia and Imo for immediate pay parity with the corrected CONMESS of 2019 and that salary shortfalls due our members will be paid shortly.

“NARD also met with Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State who also gave his words to favourably look into all challenges of our members in LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso with a view to abiding by the international standard.

“That the executive governors of Delta and Benue states from reports by our members have been supportive, although more needs to be done.

“NEC observed that COVID-19 inducement allowance has only been paid to 11 federal health institutions and most state governments are yet to review the hazard allowance of health workers,” he said.