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Ahead of their scheduled meeting with leadership of the National Assembly in Abuja today, members of Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have threatened to down tools over alleged delay in payment of salaries of some of their colleagues and house officers on Government Integrated Financial Management Information System (GIFMIS) platform.
National Executive Council (NEC) of NARD had, in a communiqué issued at the end of its virtual emergency meeting, urged the Federal Government to pay the salaries of house officers and some resident doctors across the country on or before March 9 or risk industrial action.
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In the communiqué signed by National President of NARD, Dr. Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, and the Secretary General, Dr. Jerry Lsogun, the association protested against non-implementation of 50 per cent consolidated basic salary as hazard allowance for all health workers and non-payment of the “medical residency funding” for 2019, 2020 and 2021.
NARD frowned on alleged imposition of Bench fee payment “which has brought untold hardship in the training of resident doctors” and failure of the Federal Government to implement all the agreements in the Memorandum of Terms of Settlement (MOTOS) signed on April 21, 2020.
The doctors also cited some issues affecting efficient healthcare delivery in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic with its catastrophic impact on the country.
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NARD demands immediate payment of salaries of its members, and the minimum wage nationwide, adding that all training institutions should be directed to stop collection of the Bench fee from its members “since it was not captured in the Residency Training Fund as approved.”
The association said all clinical health workers should be considered for COVID-19 vaccination and other issues retarding efficient healthcare delivery during the pandemic, including inadequate provision of personal protective equipment, should be addressed.
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