There are indications that the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) may have resolved to call off its strike today. This is following the intervention of the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu.

 

The decision to consider the suspension of the strike action by NARD was reached after a protracted meeting which lasted for over fourteen hours. Those at the meeting include: Minister of Health Prof. Onyebushi Chuckwu, Executive Chairman, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Chief Richard Ebule, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, among others.

 

In a resolution signed at the end of the meeting, it was resolved that the resident doctors would remain on the IPPIS programme but the problems identified by members of NARD in the programme should be addressed and resolved.

 

A high-powered committee to be chaired by the minister of health was put in place to address the challenges identified by NARD on the implementation of IPPIS. The membership of the committee includes, permanent secretaries of the ministries of health and labour, Accountant General of the Federation, chairman of salaries and wages commission, director general, Budget Office of the Federation, director, finance and accounts/IPPIS coordinator, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and NARD representatives.

 

On funding of local and overseas training of resident doctors, the meeting adopted the provisions of the resolution reached on the subject at the meeting held from September 9-10, 2013, between the government and the NMA, with NARD in attendance. It was also resolved that the chief medical directors (CDMs) of government hospitals should, as earlier stated, come up with the list of resident doctors as well as the amount of arrears owed each of them for necessary action by the minister of health within four (4) weeks.

 

Again, it was resolved that NARD, FMC Owerri should suspend their ongoing one month old strike and appeal to the minister of health for the non compliance to Section 43 of the Trade Disputes Act, CAP T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. On the failure of Enugu state government to implement the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) for NARD members at the Enugu state University Teaching Hospital, it was agreed that the ultimatum issued to the Enugu state government by NARD be stepped down, and that NARD should subsequently write to inform the Enugu state government of issues of concern to its members in the spirit of social dialogue.

 

The resolution was jointly signed by the National President of NARD, Dr. Jubril Abdullahi, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Amb. Sani Bala, and Mrs. Chinedu Dike of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity.

 

By Aminu Abbas Bamali

Peoplesdaily