Just In : Resident Doctors Suspend Nationwide Strike
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has decided to end its nationwide strike and will resume work starting from Saturday.
In a brief communication to Channels Television on Friday evening, the association’s national president, Innocent Orji, confirmed the development.
He stated, “Good evening. We just suspended the strike. Work to resume 8 am tomorrow. We will review the progress made in two weeks.”
This decision follows the doctors’ recent decision to suspend their planned nationwide protest aimed at pressing their demands.
According to Orji, the NARD has eight primary demands, which include recruiting additional personnel to replace doctors who have emigrated or passed away.
“Our members are facing hardships, and so are Nigerians. When hospitals lack an adequate number of doctors, it inevitably impacts the healthcare service delivery system. No one has come forward to dispute the accuracy of our claims,” he emphasized.
Orji criticized the government for not addressing the doctors’ demands. He questioned why the government-established ministerial committee’s guidelines from February of that year had not been disseminated.
He accused the government of failing to meet the doctors’ requirements.
Previously, the union’s leadership had engaged with senators, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
NARD had initiated a “total and indefinite strike action” on July 25, 2023, in response to various demands, including a salary increase for doctors
