Resident doctors to begin five-day strike action

VOICE AIR MEDIA News Update

THE Nigerian Association of resident doctors (NARD) will begin a 5-day warning strike on Wednesday, May 17, following the federal government’s failure to meet its demands.

The decision was taken after the group’s extraordinary national executive council meeting on Monday, May 15.

They alleged that the federal government refused to negotiate with the association or take tangible steps on the “upward review” of the consolidated medical salary structure (CONMESS). They also alleged that the federal government refused to pay the salary arrears of 2014, 2015 and 2016 to resident doctors.

NARD said in its communique;

“NEC observed that despite several engagements by NARD with the government on the need to upwardly review the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) which was last reviewed over ten years ago, Government has neither called NARD to the negotiation table nor taken any tangible step in addressing the issue.

“NEC recalled that there have been previous ultimatums issued to the government by NARD on account of this problem of the review of the CONMESS salary structure.

“NEC also reiterated that the previous collective bargaining agreement (CBA) on CONMESS stated clearly that the salary structure would be due for review after five
years, but this has not been done since the implementation in 2014, though the approval was given in 2009.

“NEC demands an immediate increment in the CONMESS salary structure to the tune of 200% of the current gross salary of doctors in addition to the new allowances
included in the letter written by NARD to the honourable minister of health on the 7th of July 2022 for the review of CONMESS.

“NEC demands immediate massive recruitment of clinical staff in the hospitals and complete abolishment of bureaucratic limitations to the immediate replacement of
doctors who leave the system.”

The warning strike will commence at 8 am on Wednesday, May 17, and will end Monday, May 22, at 8 am.