The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors , NARD, has suspended its planned protest scheduled to hold on Wednesday, August 9, 2023, adding that strike continues.
NARD President, Innocent Orji, disclosed this on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily breakfast programme on Wednesday.
Orji said, “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.”
The NARD President said his colleagues have eight major demands including the need for the government to recruit new hands to replace those who have left the system through migration (brain drain) or death.
“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,” he said.
“The government on its own set up a ministerial committee that came up with a guideline since February this year, why hasn’t that guideline been circularised?” he quizzed, saying the circular would help to reduce the brain drain as doctors would be immediately recruited upon the completion of their education.
The Association on July 25, 2023 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.
Orji said the government has not shown commitment to meeting the demands of the Association.
The suspension of the planned protest followed a meeting between NARD executive and that of the Senate led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
