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Buhari Appeal to Striking Doctors to Resume Work
President Muhammadu Buhari has called on the health workers to return to their duty posts, urging others contemplating strikes, to opt for settlement of issues by negotiation, no matter how long it takes.
The President made the call when he received members of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), at the Presidential Villa Abuja.
He said that the lives of the citizens that will be lost or damaged when doctors withdraw services, are precious enough and worth opting for peaceful resolution of differences.
President Buhari assured that, all outstanding benefits owed medical doctors will be cleared, after verifications, noting that embarking on industrial action at a critical health period for the country and citizens, was not a good option.
President Buhari said the outstanding issue of an Establishment circular issued by the Head of Service, removing House officers, NYSC Doctors from the scheme of service, had an addendum circular from the National Salaries and Wages Commission, to clarify that they will continue to earn the wages attached to them on their present wage structure.
To further improve the health sector, the President said that budgetary allocations had been increased and a Health Sector Reform Committee, under the Chairmanship of the Vice President, had been commissioned to identify and address weaknesses in the Health System and align with global best practices that will enhance public confidence.
The President noted that Nigeria’s source of revenue over the years has dwindled, with a rising population.
The President commended the positive role the Nigeria Medical Association has been playing, as the apex professional medical association in Nigeria, especially with regard to the ongoing industrial action.
President Buhari added that the course of Covid-19 in Nigeria was not yet entirely clear, and response to it must be collective.
In his remarks, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, said that the NMA had been playing a critical role in the development of the health sector, particularly in tackling pandemics, participating in policy formulation and population health.
In his response the President of the NMA, Prof. Innocent A. Ujah, thanked President Buhari, for the appointment of members into strategic positions in government, assent to the Medical Residency Act and the immunisation coverage.
Ujah said the association was concerned with the industrial action embarked upon by doctors, and had been doing its best to alleviate the suffering of patients across the country, while appealing for an urgent resolution.
The NMA president thanked President Buhari, for takeoff grant for the first Federal University of Health Sciences in Otukpo, Benue State, Azare, Bauchi State and Ila Orangun, Osun State and suggested an appropriate funding module for the new institutions.
The NMA leader assured the President of the continuous support of members of the association, to improve health in the country.
September 11, 2021
NMA Issues FG 21-Day Ultimatum To Resolve Industrial Disputes With NARD, Others
The Nigerian Medical Association has issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to resolve all lingering industrial actions with the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Medical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, and other affiliate members.
This ultimatum is part of the resolutions reached during its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, held in Benin City.
“After due consideration, NEC put the Federal Government on a 21 days’ notice to fully resolve all the issues contained in the various agreements signed with Affiliate members of the Nigerian Medical Association (including MDCAN, MEDSABAMS, and NARD),” the statement jointly signed by its President, Prof Innocent AO Ujah and Secretary, Dr. Philips Uche Ekpe, read.
According to the doctors, if the Federal Government fails to implement the agreements after the expiration of the 21- day notice, the NMA will summon an emergency delegate meeting.
“In the event that the FG fails to implement the agreements after the expiration of the 21 days’ notice, NMA shall summon an emergency delegate meeting to review the progress made on the implementation of the agreements,” the NMA added.
Full Support
NMA’s ultimatum is the latest in the lingering tussle between the Nigerian government and NARD which has gone on strike since July 31.
Despite a series of meetings between the Federal Government and the striking doctors, no resolution has been reached.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, had in the wake of the disagreements threatened to invoke the “no-work, no pay” rule on NARD.
But the NMA has thrown its weight behind the striking doctors and other health workers.
“The Nigerian Medical Association fully supports all her affiliates in their efforts to improve the healthcare delivery in Nigeria and the welfare of her members,” it assured.
“NEC affirms that no doctor shall be victimized for participating/not participating in the strike action by NARD.”
August 29, 2021
FG Orders Stoppage of Striking Doctors’ Salaries
The federal government has commenced the implementation of the no work, no pay rule on striking doctors with effect from Monday August 2, 2021.
In a letter dated Friday, August 27 and signed by the Director of Hospital Services Department in the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Adebimpe Adebiyi, it directed all the Chief Medical Directors and Managing Directors of federal government’s tertiary health institutions to commence the implementation of the no work, no pay rule on the doctors that are on strike and on any health worker that may join the strike subsequently.
Resident doctors under the auspices of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) had vowed to sustain the ongoing nationwide industrial action until their demands were met by the federal and state governments.
The doctors, who are protesting the alleged non-implementation of the Memorandum of Agreement it reached with government in December 2020, said that the federal government and some states owed their members salary arrears ranging from seven to 19 months.
The striking doctors had earlier refused to sign a Memorandum of Understanding brokered by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige and the President of Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Prof. Innocent Ujah, which gave specific timelines for addressing the doctors’ demands.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC), held in Benin-City, Edo State, NARD expressed disappointment that Abia, Imo, Ekiti and Ondo states still owe its members several months’ salaries.
The communiqué, signed by the president of NARD, Dr. Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi said after a critical appraisal of the issues affecting their members, as well as the exparte injunction obtained against it by government, the association decided to continue the strike.
However, a letter addressed to the chief medical directors and managing directors of federal tertiary health institutions, titled : “Re- Law and Principles Concerning the Right to Strike; Application of Section 43 (1) (A), of the Trade Union Act Cap T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, (no work, no pay), states in part: “We are in receipt of a letter from the Minister of Labour and Employment informing the minister of the laws governing the ongoing strike by the members of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the need to immediately apply the provisions of section 43 (1) (a) of the Trade Union Act on special provisions with respect to payment of salaries during strikes and lock outs, known in labour parlance as “No work, no pay” with effect from Monday, August 2, 2021 when the strike by NARD members commenced.
“Consequent on the above, I am directed to inform you to commence the implementation of the no work, no pay, policy on the striking doctors, with effect from Monday August 2, including other health workers that may embark on strike subsequently.
“You are to compute the financial implications of the no work, no pay rule from the salaries of the resident doctors and any other health worker that participated in the strike, using the attached template and forwarded to the IPPIS office, through the Federal Ministry of Health for implementation.”
August 28, 2021
Court Orders Resident Doctors To Suspend Nationwide Strike
The Abuja Division of the National Industrial Court (NIC) has ordered the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to suspend its ongoing nationwide strike, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has said.
According to a statement by the ministry’s spokesperson, Charles Akpan, the court presided by Justice John Targema gave the order on Monday afternoon.
This followed an ex-parte motion filed on Friday last week by the Federal Ministry of Health, seeking an order of interlocutory injunction restraining members of NARD from further continuing the industrial action pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The heath ministry stated that the strike which began on August 2 was contrary to Section 41 of the Trade Dispute Act.
The motion brought under Suit No: NICN/ABJ/197/2021 has the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Government as first and second claimants/applicants and NARD as the only defendant/respondent.
During proceedings on Monday, according to Akpan, the court heard the motion ex-parte and affidavit in support sworn by the Director of Legal Services at the health ministry, Ahmed Nasiru.
He revealed that Justice Targema granted an order of interlocutory injunction, compelling all members of the defendants/respondents in all the states of the Federation to suspend the industrial action and resume work immediately, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
“The court held that the continued downing of tools by the striking doctors have inflicted a lot of damage on the health system and the sick, especially in this perilous time of COVID-19 pandemic,” the statement said.
“Targema further ordered that the claimant/applicant and the defendant/respondent suspend all forms of hostilities forthwith pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.
“The judge adjourned the matter to September 15, 2021 for the hearing of the motion on notice and any other pending application.
In his reaction, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, described the court ruling as a welcome development.
He, however, reassured the affected doctors that the ruling would not prevent the Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget Office of the Federation (BOF), Office of the Head of Service of the Federation (OHOCSF) and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages and Commission (NSIWC) from the implementation of the agreements contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) reached at the last meeting with the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) and affiliate associations with timelines affixed to them.
The NMA had led three doctors’ associations to the negotiation that lasted several hours on Friday after a series of negotiations between the government and the doctors failed.
August 23, 2021
Strike: FG Drags Resident Doctors To Court
The federal government has formally handed over the trade dispute between it and the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria for adjudication.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, who did the transmission on Thursday, had earlier told the aggrieved medical workers to convene a virtual meeting of its National Executive Committee, brief its members on the efforts of government with a view to calling off its strike.
He also threatened that the government would enforce “no-work, no-pay” if the strike continues.
The minister, on Thursday, sent a formal notification showing the court received his move, to NARD and the Federal Ministry of Health representing the Federal Government.
Part of the notification signed by the Minister read, “Whereas trade dispute has arisen and now exists between the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Federal Ministry of health/Federal Government and whereas efforts to promote settlement through conciliation were ongoing but had now failed.
“And considering the facts that members of NARD who are classified as Essential Services workers/employees had embarked on strike on Monday, August 2, 2021, over the issues under conciliation, contrary to the provisions of Section 18 of the Trade Disputes Act CAP T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004, after attending a Conciliation and Agreement Review meeting on July 22, 2021, and further considering that the Federal Ministry of Health claim to have and produced evidence to having met most of their demands based on the various Memorandum of Action reached during past conciliations especially that of July 22, 2021.
“Now, therefore, I, Senator Dr Chris Nwabueze Ngige OON, MD the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment in the exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 17 of the Trades Disputes Act, CAP T8 laws of the Federation of Nigeria, hereby refer the matter for consideration, and the issues in dispute to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria for adjudication.”
August 13, 2021
Return To The Negotiating Table, Dr. Mamora Appeals To Striking Doctors
The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora has appealed to the striking National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to return to the negotiating table.
He said that the ministry is not happy with what is going on because the primary duty of a doctor is to save lives and “any situation that can result in not completing that task is not one that is welcome anywhere.
“So we will continue to appeal to doctors to come to the negotiating table so that we will continue to keep people alive when they are sick in the hospital”.
Dr. Mamora made the appeal on Monday while speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily programme.
The resident doctors embarked on an indefinite strike on August 2, over irregularities and owing salaries to housing officers.
They claimed that the Federal Government has been mute since the commencement of the industrial action.
But the minister denied the claims made by the striking doctors that it has taken 113 days of silence from the Federal Government since an agreement was signed which caused the ongoing industrial action.
He said that “There are so many issues involved, some of these issues are not from the government’s side, some of these issues have to do with the state and not the Federal Government.
According to him, there is a level to which the Federal Government can get involved, but ‘what the doctors should have done is to appeal to the Federal Government to speak with the state government on their behalf”.
Some of these issues are non-payment of Death in Service Insurance to the next of kin of 19 of its members who died from COVID-19 complications.
Others are; an upward review of the hazard allowance to 50 per cent of consolidated basic salaries of all health workers and payment of the outstanding COVID-19 inducement allowance, especially in state-owned-tertiary institutions.
Earlier on Thursday, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire told journalists in Abuja that seven of 12 matters that were raised by the resident doctors were the responsibility of state governments.
He asked the resident doctors to resume work on Friday and take up these issues with the state governments rather than embark on the nationwide strike as they had done.
August 9, 2021
Bayelsa doctors join NARD’s indefinite strike, shut down hospitals
Resident doctors in two teaching hospitals in Bayelsa State on Tuesday complied with the directive of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to embark on a total, indefinite nationwide strike.
Dr Divine Irole, President of NARD at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Yenogoa, revealed that members of the association totally complied with the directives and are awaiting further instructions from the national leadership of the union.
Daybreak reports that NARD directed its members across the country to embark on a total strike from Monday.
The directive was issued on Saturday at the end of the executive meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union held in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.
Irole said:” We have withdrawn our services in compliance to a directive from the national leadership.
“Feedback from our monitoring team indicates that the compliance is 100 percent. We have downed tools and a few consultants are providing skeletal services.
“A lot of patients have already been discharged. The truth is that bulk of the work in the health sector is done predominantly by resident doctors.
”We do not see the action of the consultants as sabotage. They are not on strike”.
Similarly, Dr Oru-Oru Inetsol, President of NARD at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH) Yenagoa, said the consultants’ roles are not in conflict with the interest of resident doctors.
August 3, 2021
Resident Doctors To Begin Nationwide Strike On Monday
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has directed its members across the country to embark on a total strike from Monday, August 2.
This directive was issued on Saturday at the end of the executive meeting of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union held in Umuahia, the Abia State capital.
Briefing reporters at the end of the meeting, NARD National President, Dr Okhuaihesuyi Uyilawa, disclosed that members have been asked to proceed on a nationwide indefinite industrial action.
“We are embarking on a total and indefinite strike on August 2, 2021. You can recall we had a memorandum of action on March 31, 2021, and had an addendum to it on April 9, and since then, we still have had irregularities in the payment of salaries to the house officers.
“We had issues with them being non-regular payment and as part of the memorandum of action, it was said that they should be captured back into the IPPS platform,” he said.
Uyilawa added, “You are aware that we lost 19 members to COVID-19 and death in service insurance was supposed to be paid to their next of kin.
“The last time we met the minister of labour and minister of health, we were told that our members are part of those to be given the insurance benefit, but we found out that their names are not even their.”
He cited the inability of the Federal Government to meet the demands of the doctors as part of the reasons for the decision to go on strike.
The NARD president, however, apologised to Nigerians for the decision which he insisted was a result of the government’s failure in its responsibilities.
The doctors had embarked on industrial action in April, leaving many patients unattended across various government-owned hospitals in the country.
They later suspended it 10 days later following a virtual meeting with members which lasted about 15 hours on April 10.
Some of the issues raised by the medical practitioners as of then included the immediate payment of all salaries owed to all house officers, including March salaries (regardless of quota system) before the end of business on March 31.
They also sought an upward review of the hazard allowance to 50 per cent of consolidated basic salaries of all health workers and payment of the outstanding COVID-19 inducement allowance, especially in state-owned-tertiary Institutions.
The doctors called for the abolishment of the exorbitant bench fees being paid by their members on outside postings in all training institutions across the country.
July 31, 2021
Gbajabiamila meets govt officials to avert resumption of doctors’ strike
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, on Thursday, met with the relevant government officials with a view to averting the resumption of the strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
At the meeting, issues such as non-payment of house officers, abolishment of bench fees, non-payment of national minimum wage, salary shortfall for 2014, 2015, and 2016, residency training allowance, and payment of resident doctors on GIFMIS platform were discussed.
Present at the meeting were top officials from the ministries of finance, health, labour, and employment as well as the Director-General of the Budget Office, Ben Akabueze, officials from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN), Committee of Chief Medical Directors (CMDs), among others.
The DG, Budget Office, Akabueze, informed the Speaker that action was being taken on the issues at stake and that a recommendation was submitted to the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, for approval after which payment would be made.
On his part, the permanent secretary in the finance ministry, Shehu Shinkafi, who represented the minister, said he would get back to her so that payment could be made before May 7.
It was agreed that another meeting would be held on Tuesday, May 4, for a conclusion on some of the issues at stake to avoid the planned resumption of the strike by the doctors.
Others present at the meeting were the Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Yerima Tafa; the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Abdulaziz Abdullahi Mashi; the chairman, Committee of CMDs, Dr. Jafaru Momoh, who is also the CMD of the National Hospital, Abuja, officials from MDCN, among others.
The resident doctors had earlier this month embarked on an indefinite strike, making some demands and insisting that they must be met before they would call off the strike.
However, with the intervention of Speaker Gbajabiamila and other top government officials, the doctors suspended the strike and said if the issues were not resolved, they would resume on May 7.
As part of efforts to put the dispute to rest, Gbajabiamila visited the resident doctors at their headquarters in Abuja to assure them that actions were being taken to have a lasting solution.
Thursday’s meeting was part of the actions being taken by the Speaker to address the dispute.
Recall that since the assumption of office, Gbajabiamila has been on the issue of the resident doctors, who had threatened to embark on strike at different times.
April 29, 2021
Resident Doctors Suspend Nationwide Strike
Members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have suspended their nationwide industrial action.
This comes 10 days after the doctors commenced the strike, leaving many patients unattended across various government-owned hospitals in the country.
The President of NARD, Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, confirmed the suspension of the strike to Channels Television on Saturday in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
He explained that the leadership of the union took the decision to suspend the industrial action after a virtual meeting with members which lasted about 15 hours.
Dr Okhuaihesuyi added that the union would further address a press conference on its decision on Sunday.
The medical practitioners suspended the strike barely a day after a meeting between the leadership of the union and the Federal Government.
Dr Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, chaired the meeting which lasted about six hours and was also attended by the Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora.
Suspended, Not Called Off
Briefing reporters on Friday at the end of the meeting, Ngige disclosed that a five-man committee had been set up to look into some of the doctors’ demands.
They included Dr Okhuaihesuyi, the Secretary-General of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), and representatives from the ministries of labour and health.
According to the minister, the committee is expected to look at the non-payment of House Officers’ salaries within 72 hours and produce a valid list to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS), through the Federal Ministry of Health.
On the issue of salary shortfall of resident doctors from 2014 to 2016, he said the meeting resolved that NARD and the Committee of Chief Medical Doctors should immediately submit a list of affected institutions and personnel strength, to be captured in the 2021 supplementary budget, with arrears from April 2019 to December 2019, as contained in the Memorandum of Action signed at the meeting.
The meeting, according to Ngige, also discussed the issue of hazard allowance and NARD was asked to come up with a position paper which should be submitted at the meeting of the Presidential Committee on Salaries, the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, the Nigeria Medical Association, and the Joint Health Sector Union on April 14 at the Federal Ministry of Labour.
Other issues the meeting considered are abolishment of the bench fees, residency training allowance, group life insurance payment and payment of residents on GIFMIS platform.
On his part, Dr Okhuaihesuyi said the association was satisfied with the outcome of the meeting and hint of positive action on the part of the doctors.
Ngige had urged the doctors to call off the strike latest by 12 noon on Saturday, but the union only suspended it at about 8:09pm.
April 11, 2021