Despite govt’s moves, resident doctors announce indefinite nationwide strike

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has commenced an industrial action across the country.

This strike came in the wake of the Wednesday expiration of an ultimatum issued to the Federal Government.

Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, the NARD President announced the industrial action during an interview on Sunrise Daily – a breakfast programme on Channels Television, on Thursday, April 1

“The strike commenced 8am this morning, and we enjoin all resident doctors to start the strike immediately,” he said.

“We are doing this for all health workers,” NARD President, Dr Okhuaihesuyi further stated.

Ripples Nigeria had reported that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Doctor Chris Ngige, met with the leaders of the union on Wednesday in a last-minute reconciliatory meeting

At the meeting which lasted several hours, he appealed to the aggrieved medical practitioners to have a rethink and sheathe their sword, saying the Federal Government was making efforts to ensure their demands were met.

Giving an update on the meeting, Okhuaihesuyi who led other leaders of the union to the discussion said they were not strange to the government’s proposal.

He stressed the need for the government to take more responsibility, adding that the decision to go on strike was for the benefit of all healthcare workers in the country.

“We had a meeting with the Minister of Labour from 4pm till about 12am this morning; we insist that the implementation of what we wrote on the strike notice should be intimated immediately.

“We are not just doing this for resident doctors, we are doing this for all health workers … the government needs to be more responsible,” the NARD president stated.