Resident doctors call off strike

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has called off their one-month old strike. They will now resume work on Wednesday.

In a communique signed by the Nigerian Medical Association, Secretary-General, Ekpe Philips Uche, after the meeting held among delegates of NMA and NARD on Sunday in Abuja, the NMA advised NARD to stop the ongoing industrial action.

At the meeting, NMA mandated the National Officers Committee (NOC) to ensure the implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed with the federal government on August 21.

The association asked NOC to report back to the National Executive Council of NMA periodically on the progress being made on implementing the memorandum of understanding.

NMA also mandated the NOC to continue to interface with the chairmen of the state branches, including the FCT, on the progress being made.

According to Godiya Ishaya, NARD president, the association has officially called off the strike.

He said, “We’ve officially suspended the strike to resume at 8:00 am on Wednesday. We made the decision in the wee hours of today. We held an emergency meeting from 5:30 pm on Sunday to the morning hours of today, and the NEC decided that having reviewed the progress made so far, the strike should be suspended.”

NARD embarked on strike following a disagreement with the federal government over the non-availability of medical equipment at public tertiary hospitals.

The doctors’ strike entered the ninth week on Monday, crippling activities in public tertiary hospitals across the country, leaving patients stranded.