DOCTORS in eleven Federal medical facilities across the country have so far received their April and May hazard allowance paid by the Federal Government, The ICIR can report.

Chris Ngige, Minister for Labour and Employment, had on Wednesday said that the Federal Government has commenced the payment of hazard allowance to health workers after a meeting between the Federal Government and members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).

He disclosed that the meeting ended on a positive note as the government side had shown evidence to the Association of the payment of the hazard and inducement allowances.

Findings by The ICIR revealed that doctors in Ibadan, Oyo State capital confirmed that they have received the allowance which is 50 percent of their basic salary.

Dr. Aliyu Sokomba, President, National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) confirmed this on Thursday in a message sent to The ICIR.

“I can confirm to you that health workers (doctors and others health workers) received two months of hazard allowance in 11 hospitals,” Sokomba said.

He, however noted that the association did not embark on strike because of the hazard allowance, even it was one of the reasons, adding that hazard allowance is for all health workers and not doctors alone.”

“It is however pertinent to note that we didn’t embark on industrial action because of hazard allowance (though one of the reason).

“Important reasons we embarked on strike are things that relate to our safety and security; PPE availability in our hospitals, insurance cover for doctors and other health workers, residency training Act implementation among others.”

The NARD president disclosed that the association would be convening a meeting to review its position on the strike soon.

A medical doctor based in Ibadan who gave his name as Dr. Gbenga because he is not authorised to talk to the press on the matter stated that payments trickled in on Thursday for him and some of his colleagues.

“Just 11 centres have been paid, so many others haven’t been paid nationwide,” Dr. Gbenga said

However, Dr. Gbenga said there are several Federal Government hospitals that have not gotten the COVID allowance that he and others got.

He also disclosed that the Federal Government has yet to respond to the demand of doctors for adequate supply of Personal protective Equipments (PPE) to protect health workers who are working in the frontlines from contracting coronavirus.

As of  Wednesday June 17, NARD reported that 862 doctors in the country have been exposed to COVID-19, while 219 are confirmed cases of the deadly virus.

It would be recalled that the NARD had embarked on a strike on Monday, following the failure of the Federal Government to meet up with its 14-day ultimatum, to meets its demands.

Part of the demands was an increase in hazard allowance for health workers, which as disclosed by the NARD was a token of N5,000, provision of PPE for doctors and an immediate reversal of the dismissal of 26 resident doctors in Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH).

Speaking on the dismissal of his colleagues by Plateau State Government, Dr. Gbenga said one of the demands of the striking doctors is for the Federal Government to intervene in the matter.

“Injustice to one is an injustice to all. Twenty six  resident doctors were illegitimately disengaged in the JUTH. One of our demand is for the FG to intervene in that matter and to ensure they they are reinstated,” he said.

The ICIR  also gathered that some of the association’s other demands had been communicated before Nigeria got its index case of COVID-19 in February, but the Federal Government never responded.

Vanguard, quoted  Sokomba, National President of NARD disclose as saying that their demands were all issues they have been on with the government in the last three years.