The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have asked the Federal Government to stand up to its responsibilities and address the grievances of striking doctors in the country.
President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi said the government had failed in discharging its responsibilities to resident doctors and urged them to do so rather than issue threats to the striking workers.
Okhuaihesuyi said this during an interview on a Channels Television programme, Sunrise Daily, on Friday.
“The first thing you’re telling us is that we signed a document we are not honouring it, we need to resume work. They need to stand up to their responsibilities,” he said.
He said while the Federal Government claimed to have paid the Death In Service Insurance to 46 resident doctors, none of the doctors who had died from the COVID-19 virus had been paid.
“That is not state government; it is Federal Government because we know that most states do not even have health insurance for health workers or our members,” he said.
The Nigerian government had asked the striking doctors to return to work by Friday, claiming that the issues raised by the Association were responsibilities of State governments.
The Minister of Health Osagie Ehanire said this while briefing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, adding that the strike action was impeding the government’s efforts in fighting the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The NARD had embarked on a nationwide strike on Monday, August 2, citing several grievances, including delay in their salaries and allowances.
The commencement of the strike coincides with the third wave of the COVID-19 virus spreading across several states within the country.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via [email protected] or @ije_le on Twitter.