Resident doctors begin staggered strike nationwide tomorrow

Bayelsa NMA decries non-payment of salaries, may down tools

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has declared indefinite industrial action beginning from tomorrow, June 9, 2016, citing Federal Government negligence and failure to meet the lingering demands of its members.

Addressing journalists in Kano yesterday, President, NARD, Dr. Muhammadu Adamu Askira, posited that resident doctors would embark on a staggered strike beginning with members across 42 branches tomorrow, June 9, 2016 followed by a day nationwide solidarity strike on Wednesday, June 15, 2016 and a total shutdown nationwide on Thursday, June 20, 2016, for failure of the Federal Government and management of various hospitals to meet their demands.

The association said that all members across 52 federal and state tertiary healthcare centres would join the initial strike (June 9) with the exemption of those from ATBUTH Bauchi; FMC Abeokuta; FMC Azare; FMC Birni Kudu; FMC Keffi; FMC Katsina; FMC Nguru; FMC Yola; FNPH Calabar; FNPH Enugu; FNPH Maiduguri; FNPH Yola; NHA Abuja; NOHD Kano; NOH Enugu; NOH Igbobi; OAUTH Ife; UDUTH Sokoto and UMTH Maiduguri.

The exemption, according to NARD, was due to implementation of all remuneration issues by the management of the centres.

Askira stated that the resolution to withdraw services was reached at the ordinary general meeting held between May 30 and June 5, 2016 in Jos, Plateau State, after deliberating on critical issues affecting resident doctors across the country.

According to him, NARD has no alternative but to result to painful decision considering the sorry plight of its members, who he claimed, had endured long period of deprivation and disenfranchisement.

He hinted that the congress regretted that despite several months of engagements with the government and stakeholders, coupled with five days warning strike and expiration of a 35-day ultimatum, the demands of the association were yet to be met.

In another development, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Bayelsa State Chapter, yesterday deplored the non-payment of five months salaries in the state, saying that the continued delay in payment of salaries and wages has adversely affected healthcare delivery, among others.

According to the NMA, the non-payment of salaries in the oil rich state has, among other things, reduced hospital attendants as patients can no longer procure drugs, pay for test or pay their bills on their discharge from hospitals.

The body, therefore, warned that it was set to join its affiliate bodies, come June 27, in an indefinite strike action if government fails to resolve the lingering crisis in Bayelsa State civil service before the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum given to government.

Besides, at a press briefing at the NMA headquarters in Yenagoa and addressed by the Bayelsa State Chairman of the association, Israel Jeremiah, the doctors’ body slammed the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) for not inviting it to the negotiation table between the organised labour and the state government last month.

It, therefore, dissociated itself from the agreement reached between them.