In an effort to prevent the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors’ planned strike, the Federal Government has started high-level negotiations with the medical professionals.
WITHIN NIGERIA reports that NARD had given the Federal Government two weeks to comply with its requests or risk industrial unrest on Saturday.
This was stated in a communiqué that the resident doctors released on Saturday following their Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The meeting, which took place from Thursday to Saturday, was called to discuss urgent issues involving the welfare of doctors and the alarming rate of their emigration to other nations, as well as that of other healthcare professionals, as a result of poor pay, insufficient funding for the health sector, and the ensuing detrimental impact on the public and the healthcare workers.
In addition to the new allowances mentioned in the letter the association sent to the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, on July 7, 2022, regarding the review of the CONMESS, the doctors are requesting an immediate increase in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure in the amount of 200 percent of the current gross salaries of doctors.
The communiqué signed the NARD President, Dr Emeka Orji; Secretary-General, Dr Chikezie Kelechi; and Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr Dr Umar Musa, noted that there had been previous ultimatums issued to the government by the association on the review of the CONMESS.
The NEC said despite several engagements by NARD with the government on the need to upwardly review the CONMESS, which was last adjusted over 10 years ago, adding that it had not taken any tangible step to address the issue.
It reiterated that the previous collective bargaining agreement on the CONMESS stated clearly that the salary structure would be due for review after five years, but this had not been done since the implementation in 2014 though the approval was given in 2009.
It noted that many state governors had yet to implement the appropriate CONMESS structure, domesticate the Medical Residency Training Act or improve on the hazard allowance paid to resident doctors and other health workers while owing a backlog of salary arrears.
Apart from the upward review of CONMESS, the NEC also demanded the immediate withdrawal and jettisoning of the bill seeking to compel medical and dental graduates to render five-year compulsory services in Nigeria before being granted full licences to practise.
The communiqué read in part, “NEC demands the immediate payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund in line with the agreements reached at the stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Federal Ministry of Health at the Honourable Minister of State for Health’s conference room. This should be done without further delay.
“NEC demands the commencement of payment of all salary arrears owed to our members, including 2014, 2015, and 2016 salary arrears, as well as areas of the consequential adjustment of the minimum wage. NEC demands immediate massive recruitment of clinical staff in hospitals and complete abolishment of bureaucratic limitations to the immediate replacement of doctors who leave the system.
“NEC demands immediate infrastructural development in our various hospitals without further delay and insists on at least 15 per cent budgetary allocation to health subsequently.”
The council also demanded the immediate implementation of CONMESS, domestication of the MRTA and review of hazard allowance by all the state governments as well as Private tertiary health institutions where any form of residency training is done.
It added, “NEC demands the immediate commencement of payment of all salary arrears owed to our members by the various state governments, notorious amongst which is the Abia State Government.
“NEC resolved to issue the government a two-week ultimatum beginning today (Saturday), 29th of April, 2023, to resolve all these demands, following the expiration of which on the 13th of May, 2023, we may not be able to guarantee industrial harmony in the sector nationwide.”
While reacting to the ultimatum, the Federal Government said it was working towards resolving the demands of the doctors before the expiration of the deadline.
“We are working on resolving the demands of the doctors. There are discussions ongoing regarding their demands. I will refer you to the Director of Hospital Services. I’m on an official assignment now,” Ehanire said.
The association had on January 11, 2023, issued a strike warning in a letter submitted to the Health minister on Monday, January 9, 2023.
It said it would kick-start processes that would lead to industrial disharmony if lingering issues were not addressed before its NEC meeting scheduled for January 24 to 28, 2023.
NARD had issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government six months earlier over unresolved issues affecting its members. These include the irregularities in the new circular on the upward review of the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), outstanding payment of the arrears of the new hazard allowance, non-payment of the skipping arrears for 2014, 2015 and 2016, non-payment of the consequential adjustment of the minimum wage to some of its members.