The National Association of
Resident Doctors, or NARD, has informed the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire,
in a letter that it plans to lead doctors working in public health facilities
on a second round of industrial action if its remaining demands are not met.
In the letter, the association of
resident doctors in public hospitals stated that its National Executive Council
meeting was scheduled for January 24 to 28, 2023, to discuss remaining issues
and decide whether or not to participate in the exercise.
The omitted payment for the 2020
MRTF was one of the issues mentioned in the letter signed by Dr. Emeka Orji,
President of NARD; irregularities in the new MRTF circular that are out of line
with the Medical Residency Training Act, the existing Collective Bargaining
Agreements, the state of the economy right now, and the Review of CONMESS's
Salary Structure.
The letter, with the subject line
"Imminent National Industrial Disharmony in the Health Sector: A Matter of
Urgent Administrative Importance" copied the President of the Senate, the
Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Director of the Budget Office, the
Chairman of the Nigerian Governors' Forum, and the IGP, among other
individuals.
Red in its entirety: "We bring
you warm season's compliments from the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors
(NARD)"
“Remember Sir, that NARD issued an
ultimatum to the Federal Government six months ago on account of lingering
unresolved issues affecting our members, including irregularities in the new
circular on upward review of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF),
outstanding payment of the arrears of the new hazard allowance, nonpayment of
the skipping arrears for 2014, 2015, and 2016, nonpayment of the consequential
adjustment of minimum wage to some of our members, delay in the upward review
of
"We sincerely appreciate the
government's efforts to resolve some of the raised issues through its
ministries, departments, and agencies." However, many of them have
remained largely unresolved and are now major causes of nationwide agitation
that put the health industry's peace and harmony at risk.
One notable example is the omission
of the payment for the 2020 MRTF. The new MRTF circular contains irregularities
that are incompatible with the Medical Residency Training Act, existing
Collective Bargaining Agreements, and current economic realities.
Examining the CONMESS salary
structure: "Sir, our January 2023 National Executive Council meeting has
been scheduled for January 24th to 28th, 2023, and we can confirm very clearly
feelings that if these issues are not sorted out before that meeting, our
members will likely give us a mandate to immediately kick-start processes that
will lead to a nationwide industrial disharmony in the health sector. If this
is not done before that meeting, our members will likely give us a mandate to
kick-start those processes
“Sir, we humbly implore you to use
your good offices to resolve these issues prior to our January NEC meeting
because we know how crucial this period is and the chaos that will ensue if the
government does not take steps to prevent this from happening.
Sir, we have faith in your gentle
demeanor and hope that you will come to our aid and protect this nation from
the impending industrial conflict.
"Attached are a number of
communiqués that were issued following our July 2022 NEC meeting in Lafia, our
August 2022 Extraordinary NEC meeting in Ilorin, and our September 2022 Annual
General Meeting.
0 Comments