In an effort to emphasize their demands, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has called for daily Nationwide demonstrations and picketing of federal health institutions.
The Federal Ministry of Health’s Permanent Secretary received a notice from the association after its National Executive Council (E-NEC) virtual meeting, which stated that the protest would start at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.
The notice was signed by the association’s President, Dr. Orji, Emeka Innocent, and Secretary-General, Dr. Chikezie Kelechi.
According to Platinum Times Nigeria, the group had already started a strike, but three days prior, the federal government had imposed a “No work, No pay” policy on the resident doctors who were on strike.
The Federal Ministry of Health instructed Chief Medical Directors and medical directors of Federal Tertiary Hospitals in a letter signed by the Director, Hospital Services, Dr. Andrew Noah, to keep an attendance register of all residents willing to work and to provide the Ministry with such names on a monthly basis.
NARD, on the other hand, stated in a notice of protest that “we wish to bring to your notice, the decision of the National Executive Council of NARD to embark on daily peaceful protests and picketing of the Federal Ministry of Health, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, as well as all federal and state tertiary health institutions nationwide, with effect from Wednesday, 9th August 2023.”
The statement claimed that the action was necessary to press home their demands, which they claimed had been largely ignored by the parent ministry and the federal government. They expressed their pain at the decision of the ministry and the federal government to demonize Nigerian resident doctors in spite of their sacrifices and patriotism, rather than make sincere and concerted efforts to resolve the issues that gave rise to the industrial action despite repeated ultimatums.
The statement claims that it is time for the entire world to learn about the degeneration and corruption in the healthcare industry as well as the years of neglect faced by public health institutions that resulted in numerous industrial actions.
“We believe that the government still has time to genuinely address the issues at stake before Wednesday, 9th August 2023, or leave us with no other option. Accept the assurances of our esteemed regards as always,” it said