The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, has suspended its planned nationwide daily protest after a closed-door meeting with principal officers of the senate on Tuesday.
The President of NARD, Emeka Orji, has promised a review of their position in the next 72 hours.
“We met with the Senate president, majority and minority leaders and Whip. So, the planned protest slated for Wednesday has been suspended and we will review it again in 72 hours”, Orji stated.
The resident doctors had earlier planned to commence a daily peaceful protest, starting from Wednesday, if the Government fails to meet its demands.
The decision followed the directive by the Federal Government to the Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of federal tertiary hospitals to commence the enforcement of the “no work, no pay” policy against the striking doctors.
The doctors embarked on an indefinite industrial action on July 26, following the failure of the Government to meet their demands.
In a separate statement, the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, applauded the doctors for calling off the protest and also working towards calling off the strike.
Akpabio said the doctors’ demands are well noted and will be addressed as soon as a new minister is appointed for the health sector.
“I thank you on behalf of the Senate for honoring us with your decision not only to cancel the planned public protest but to also call off the strike in the interest of the suffering masses.
“Your demands are well noted and let me assure you that as soon as a Minister in charge of Health is appointed, the Senate will work with him or her to expeditiously address all your grievances”, the Senate President said.
He said the President Bola Tinubu-led administration is doctors-friendly and that his passion for the reform of the country’s health sector explains the large number of medical practitioners appointed into his cabinet.
He noted that strike by medical practitioners should not be allowed even for a day because of the impact it creates in the polity.
For this reason, he said, the senate is determined to ensure through interactions and consultation with relevant offices, the amicable settlement of the impasse is reached.
Credible News reports that the doctors are demanding the implementation of the one-for-one replacement policy for healthcare workers; the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to discontinue the downgrading of the membership certificate issued by the West African Postgraduate Medical and Surgical Colleges.
Also, they wanted the immediate payment of all salary arrears; the implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure; a new hazard allowance; and the domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act; among others.
