By; AMOS TAUNA, Kaduna
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), has declared daily nationwide protests and picketing of federal health institutions.
The association which is currently on a nationwide indefinite strike in a notice on Saturday, said the protest would commence on Wednesday, August 9 at 10:00am.
The National Executive Council (E-NEC) after its virtual meeting on Saturday issued the notice and addressed to the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health.
Dr. Orji, Emeka Innocent, the President of the association, and the Secretary General, Dr Chikezie, Kelechi, signed the notice.
According to the notice, “We wish to bring to your notice, of the decision of the National Executive Council of NARD to embark on a daily peaceful protests and picketing of the Federal Ministry of Health, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, as well as all federal and state tertiary health institutions nationwide, with effect from Wednesday, 9th August 2023.”
NARD further explained that the move became necessary to press home their demands that have been largely neglected by the parent ministry and the federal government.
It said that they are pained that rather than make genuine and concerted efforts to resolve the challenges that led to the industrial action despite repeated ultimatums, their parent ministry and the federal government have chosen to demonize Nigerian resident doctors instead, after all their sacrifices and it resolved that it is time the whole world hears its side of the story on the decay and corruption in the health sector as well as the neglect the public health institutions have suffered all these years that led to repeated industrial actions.
It said that the government still has time to genuinely address the issues at stake before Wednesday, 9th August 2023, or leave them with no other option.
The federal government had three days ago slammed a ‘No work, No pay policy’ against the striking resident doctors.
Dr Andrew Noah, the Director Hospital Services, in a letter he signed, the federal ministry of health directed Chief Medical Directors and medical directors of Federal Tertiary Hospitals to maintain an attendance register of all residents willing to work and furnish the Ministry of such names on a monthly basis.
