Resident doctors issue fresh 2-week ultimatum to FG to meet demands

Resident doctors in the country operating under the aegis of Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have issued July 19,2023 ultimatum to the Federal Government to meet their demands, saying failure would lead to industrial disharmony in the country.

The demands include the immediate payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) as contained in the approved 2023 budget; payment of all outstanding arrears owed our members including the hazard allowance and the skipping arrears of 2014-2016, and the arrears of consequential adjustment of minimum wage, immediate release and implementation of the guidelines on one-for-one replacement of clinical staff to cushion the effect of the massive manpower shortage in various hospitals nationwide and discontinuation of downgrading of membership certificate issued by the West African Postgraduate Medical and Surgical colleges.

Others are the immediate payment of all salary arrears, implementation of the CONMESS salary structure and new hazard allowance and domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act and payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund to members in state tertiary health institutions nationwide the and immediate implementation of minimum of 200% increment in the CONMESS salary structure and upward review of the associated allowances as requested in previous letters on the subject matter.

These were part of the resolutions taken at NARD’s Extra -Ordinary National Executive Council Meeting held virtually on Wednesday, 5th July, 2023.

The resolutions were contained in a communique signed by the association’s President, Dr Orji Emeka Innocent, Secretary General, Dr Chikezie Kelechi and Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr Umar Musa, respectively.

“NEC calls on the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to discontinue the downgrading of the membership certificate issued by the West African Postgraduate Medical and Surgical colleges as this is not obtainable in other parts of West Africa where these same certificates are issued.

“NEC demands the immediate payment of all Salary Arrears, implementation of the CONMESS salary structure and new Hazard Allowance and domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act and payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund to our members in the State Tertiary Health

“NEC hereby wishes to further extend her already expired ultimatum issued to the government by 2 weeks with effect from today 5th July 2023″.