Resident Doctors Threaten Strike Over Delayed Review of Salary Structure

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has threatened to go on a nationwide strike if the federal government does not meet its demands. NARD, in a letter addressed to the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, outlined several issues that have yet to be resolved by the government, despite the association having issued an ultimatum to the government six months prior.

These issues include 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 members, delay in the upward review of the consolidated medical salary structure (CONMESS), salary arrears of members in state tertiary health institutions, and non-domestication of the medical residency training act (MRTA) in most states.

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NARD also highlighted that despite the government resolving some of these issues, many of them remain unresolved and have become sources of serious nationwide agitation. In the letter, NARD warned that if these issues are not resolved before their January 2023 National Executive Council meeting, the members will likely give the mandate to immediately begin processes that will lead to nationwide industrial disharmony in the health sector.

NARD implored the government to take steps to prevent this from happening and trust in the fatherly disposition of the Minister of Health to resolve these issues and save the nation from this imminent industrial disharmony.