The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has stepped back from its planned nationwide strike following a high-level meeting with the Federal Government at the State House, Abuja.
Both sides reached agreements on key welfare, salary and promotion issues during the meeting that lasted for about three hours.
President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Rt. Femi Gbajabiamila convened the meeting.
Among those at the meeting were the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi; Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate; Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Taiwo Oyedele; Director-General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Tanimu Yakubu; the Accountant-General of the Federation, Shamseldeen Ogunjimi; and officials responsible for cash management and the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).
NARD President, Muhammad Suleiman, who briefed reporters after the meeting, said both parties substantially resolved the issues that prompted the association’s strike notice.
‘Today, I can tell you, our matters are solved’, Suleiman explained.
He revealed that the parties agreed on definite timelines for addressing outstanding salary payments, promotions and allowances that trigger industrial action.
‘This is not the first time the Chief of Staff has intervened in matters relating to resident doctors in this country. About six or seven years ago, when he became Speaker, it was the first opportunity he had to intervene, and he has always intervened. Whenever he came into our issues, our matters were solved’, Suleiman said.
According to him, ‘timelines have been agreed upon by various agencies of government on salary and promotion areas. We are talking about the meal issue at LUTH(Lagos University Teaching Hospital), and we are talking about a week for implementation.
”We have agreed on a figure. We have agreed on numbers.’
Suleiman also announced a breakthrough on the delayed payment of salaries to house officers, saying the government has issued a standing directive to ensure prompt remuneration.
‘We also talked about house officers, so that they don’t have to wait a whole month before they get the previous month’s salaries. In fact, he has given a standing order that before the 10th of every month, salaries of house officers must be paid’, he said.
The NARD president further revealed that the Presidency directed the Ministries of Labour and Employment and Health to fast-track negotiations on the Collective Bargaining Agreement with the association so that any agreed financial commitments would be accommodated in next year’s budget.
‘The conversations have been very, very robust’, he added.
On the safety of medical personnel, Suleiman said the association raised concerns over the growing number of attacks on health workers. He said that 31 doctors and more than 20 other health workers had been assaulted in the past 10 months.
He said the Health Ministry agreed to issue directives to hospitals to strengthen security and create safer working environments.
Suleiman added that discussions also covered the lingering dispute over unpaid hazard and specialist allowance arrears
NARD had threatened to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike from August 10 over unresolved salary arrears, welfare concerns and other longstanding issues affecting resident doctors across federal health institutions.