The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors -NARD have declared a five-day warning strike following the failure of the Federal Government to meet its demands.
The resident doctors said the strike would commence at 8am today and would end on Monday, May 22, at 8am.
This was the decision reached after its six and a half hours Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting of the association held virtually on 15 of May 2023.
Recall that NARD had on April 29, 2023, issued a two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government to meet its demands or face industrial disharmony. The ultimatum ended on May 13, 2023.
Reports say the doctors are demanding an immediate increment in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure to the tune of 200 percent of the current gross salaries of doctors. The doctors also want the immediate withdrawal of the bill seeking to compel medical and dental graduates to render five-year compulsory services in Nigeria before being granted full licence to practise.
The President of NARD, Dr Emeka Orji, disclosed to newsmen exclusively that the strike was total, involving both emergency and clinical operations in the hospitals.
Also, the Secretary-General of NARD, Dr Chikezie Kelechi, said if nothing was done by the government at the end of the warning strike, the next line of action would be decided at the NARD’s Ordinary General Meeting and Scientific Conference which will be held in Lagos, from May 28 to June 3, 2023.