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The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its protest slated for Wednesday August 9, 2023.
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NARD President, Innocent Orji, who said this on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily breakfast programme, however, stated that the industrial action by the association continues.
“Yes, we put on hold the protest that was supposed to start this (Wednesday) morning but the strike is continuing. We’ll review again in 72 hours; that’s the position of the National Executive Council,” Orji said.
“Our members are suffering. Nigerians are suffering too. When you don’t have the right number of doctors in the hospital, there is no way it is not going to affect the healthcare service delivery system. And nobody has come out to tell us that what we are saying is not true.”
Orji said the government on its own set up a ministerial committee that came up with a guideline since February this year but has not been circularised.
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He said the circular would help to reduce the brain drain as doctors would be immediately recruited upon the completion of their education.
Also, he alleged that the government has not shown commitment to meeting the demands of the Association.
The suspension of the planned protest comes after a meeting between NARD executive and that of the Senate led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
On July 25, 2023 NARD declared a “total and indefinite strike action” over the replacement of doctors who have exited the system and demand that the salary structure of its members be increased by 200%, amongst other demands.
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