The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) finally intervened in the issue between the striking Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Federal Government on Tuesday, urging for a rapid resolution of labour demand disagreements.
The resident doctors proclaimed a “total and indefinite strike action” on July 25 in response to unmet demands such as payment of the 2023 MRTF, release of the circular on one-for-one replacement, and payment of skipping arrears, among others.
They later announced intentions to picket the Federal Ministry of Health, the Office of the Federation’s Head of Civil Service, and all federal and state tertiary health facilities countrywide beginning Wednesday.
The NMA, in a statement by its President, Dr. Uche Ojinmah, stressed that as the “mother association” to NARD, the labour dispute which it described as avoidable had gone on for “far too long” to the detriment of the common Nigerian citizen.
“We hereby call on our Government to quickly conclude measures to resolve all areas of disagreement and eschew all punitive responses in the interest of industrial harmony,” Ojinmah said.
“The union also urged the resident doctors to extend a gesture of goodwill towards the government in the interest of our suffering patients and fellow citizens.
“Let’s put aside all obstacles (contrived or real) towards a speedy resolution of this dispute for the love of the Nation.”
See the full statement below:
