The nationwide protest of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) set to commence on Wednesday has been called off after closed door meeting with the Senate.
Addressing the media shortly after the meeting, the National President of the Association, Dr Emeka Innocent Orji said it was concluded that the Association should be at the National Executive Council Meeting (NEC),to table it’s demand.
Dr Orji explained that with the intervention of the President of the Senate, Godswil Akpabio, the planned national protest has been cancelled while decisions on the ongoing strike would be taken after the NEC meeting.
According to him, Senator Akpabio gave an assurance that as soon as a Minister of Health was appointed, the Senate would work with the ministry to expeditiously address all grievances.
Demands of NARD
The resident doctors are demanding the immediate payment of the 2023 MRTF, release of the circular on one-for-one replacement, and the payment of skipping arrears.
Others are the upward review of CONMESS in line with full salary restoration to the 2014 value of CONMESS, the payment of the arrears of consequential adjustment of minimum to the omitted doctors, and the reversal of the downgrading of the membership certificate by MDCN.
RN
