Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued a 14 days ultimatum to the federal government to immediately implement all the agreements entered into with the association or risk an indefinite strike action.
NARD issued the ultimatum in Bauchi Saturday at the end of its 2020 Ordinary General Meeting (OGM) with the theme: ‘Health Inequalities and Social Determinants of Health in Nigeria lamenting the poor working condition of the members across the country.
While reading the communique at the end of the OGM, the National President, Dr Aliyu Sokomba lamented that some of its members were intimidated, harassed and maltreated in Lagos, Kaduna states and FCT in the cause of performing their professional activities.
He added that some of them were sacked at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) at the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic while Kaduna state government slashed their salaries by 25 percent a development he said has brought untold hardship to them and their families.
NARD therefore demanded for the immediate recall of all those sacked by JUTH as well as the full payment of their entitlements and the payment of the slashed salaries by the Kaduna State Government.
NARD is also demanding for supply of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other consumables to all health facilities across the country to enable the health workers to perform their professional services with adequate and maximum protection.
The communique which was read at the Multipurpose Hall of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi contained that, “we hereby give the government a 14 days ultimatum to meet all of our demands to avoid an indefinite and total strike action by the Resident Doctors across the country.”
