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Tag: Resident doctors

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
Resident Doctors Still On Strike Due To ‘Lack Of Trust’ – NMA
A deep distrust of the Federal Government’s ability to implement its promises is behind the prolonged strike of resident doctors across the country, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) said on Monday.
“The problem we face is that when agreements are signed, everybody goes to sleep,” NMA President, Innocent Ujah, said during his appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.
“So there is this distrust among workers. And this is not good for the country; because we expect that those who work for our President should be truthful, honest and should comply with the agreement.”
There were indications that the three-week-old strike would soon be called off after the doctors, under the aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) met with Federal Government representatives in Abuja over the weekend.
The meeting was brokered, in part by the NMA, which is the parent body of all doctors in the country.
But the resident doctors refused to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) produced at the end of the meeting, citing the government’s decision to institute a court action over the strike.
The resident doctors also said the government must reverse its ‘no work, no pay’ policy.
Meanwhile, a NARD spokesperson, Julian Ojebo, has said the resident doctors will not resume unless their benefits have been paid.
Ojebo, while speaking on Sunrise Daily, said resident doctors have been left ‘impoverished’ by the government’s inability to meet its demands.
“We are not on strike for added allowances; we are not on strike for any other thing,” Ojebo said. “We are on strike for our normal due salaries that you have not paid from January to July.
“We are talking about salary shortfalls that you have not paid from 2014 to 2016. We are talking about monies you have not paid for our medical residency training program. These are the issues on the table, and these issues have not been resolved.”
He noted that signing MoUs was an academic exercise that does nothing to address the doctors’ demands.
“Payment of our benefits are the only actionable plans that can actually make us sign any memorandum of agreement of terms,” he said.
“Other than these, I don’t think we are being fair.”
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
NMA threatens to join Resident Doctors’ Strike
The Nigeria Medical Association NMA has chided both Federal and State Governments for the lingering strike action of the National Association of Resident Doctors which had paralyzed hospitals across the country to the detriment of the Nigerian people.
It warned that it would join forces if resident doctors were not paid all their due wages and the strike lingers.
NMA in a statement issued on Friday, signed by its Chairman on Inter Affiliate Affairs, Dr Rosemary Uzowulu, titled, “High cost of governance maintained yet payment of doctors to avert health sector destruction a failure from government”, described the ongoing strike as uncalled for if those in corridors of power were sincere.
The body of doctors accused the political leaders of playing a game with the health of Nigerians because they could afford overseas medical treatment.
The statement partly read: “it is most unfortunate that budget allocation for newspapers for assembly members, state governors, the presidency is approved and implemented within days of signing by Mr President, and yet the residency training allocation budgeted and endorsed cannot be implemented.
“The country in face of the high cost of governance has decided to use the health of her subject to play chess game where king and queens display the power of crown by killing their guards.
“I call on well-meaning Nigerians across the country to quickly put a stop to the strike by mandating those concerned including the state governors for state hospitals to pay the resident doctors all their due wages or stand the chance of black cloud collapse from NMA if the battle lingers.”
August 13, 2021
Resident Doctors threaten to continue strike as FG stall dialogue
The House of Representatives’ intervention into the ongoing strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors has stalled.
The meeting, organised by the House Committee on Health Services was going fine until the issue of allowances was raised.
The Minister of Health (State), Olorunbe Mamora said the issue of allowances is still in court, hence the government cannot give commitment.
Expressing anger, NARD’s President, Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi issued a threat, warning that the union will not call off the strike if the government continues to frustrate dialogue using the court case.
Okhuaihesuyi, who was obviously vexed with the position of the Minister said, “If the government continue to use this case to frustrate this matter, I can assure you that this strike will continue.”
The Chairman of the Committee, Tanko Sununu, appeared not to be pleased with the statement by NARD’s president and ordered that the statement be withdrawn.
Okhuaihesuyi consequently withdrew the statement, however, accused the government of lying about the court case.
It would be recalled that the doctors embarked on strike on the 2nd of August, over issues of Resident Doctors Training areas, minimum wage regularization and others.
Following the withdrawal of the statement, the Chairman of the Committee ruled that the Ministry of health should provide evidence that there is an ongoing case in court.
August 10, 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
Resident doctors hint at suspension of planned strike
…after exhaustive meeting with Gbajabiamila
Following an exhaustive meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have hinted that they are ready to suspend their planned resumption of strike on Friday, May 7.
The doctors, at the resumption of the meeting with Gbajabiamila which began last week, said they would suspend the planned resumption of the strike as soon as they got payment for their salary arrears ranging from one to five months.
They took the position after the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, said funds were available for the payment, assuring that her ministry would pay immediately a verified list of the beneficiaries was received.
However, when the Director-General of the Budget Office, Mr Ben Akabueze, who was one of the stakeholders at the meeting, confirmed that his office was in receipt of the list, the minister gave her word that payment would be made by May 7.
The resident doctors had on April 1 embarked on an indefinite strike, making some demands, which included 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.
All the issues raised by the doctors were resolved, except that of salary shortfall for 2014, 2015 and 2016. The issue involves all health workers with a cost implication of about N23 billion, which the Minister of State for Health, Sen. Olorunnimbe Mamora, described as “huge and complicated.”
Also, there were claims that a case on the matter was before a court, which the Speaker asked the Ministry of Health, Dr Osahie Ehanire, to produce the relevant court papers to back the claim as the resident doctors said their checks revealed there was no pending court case anywhere on the matter.
It was then agreed jointly by the doctors, the House led by the Speaker and officials of the ministry of health that the matter should be set aside until court papers were provided.
Others present at the meeting, which lasted up to late Tuesday evening, were the Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu; Minority Whip, Gideon Gwani; Chairman House Committee on Healthcare Services, Tanko Sununu, among others.
On the part of the Executive arm, there were Dr Ehanire; Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Folasade Yemi-Esan; Chairman of the Committee of CMDs, Dr Jafaru Momoh; the NARD President, Dr Okhuaihesuyi Uyilawa, among others.
Recall that since he assumed office, Gbajabiamila has been on the issue of the resident doctors, who had threatened to embark on strike at different times
May 4, 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
Nasarawa Residents Doctors joins Nation wide Strike
Abel Leonard/ Lafia
Resident Doctors at the Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, (DASH) Lafia, Thursday joins the Nation- wide NARD strike as a way of showing solidarity to its members working at the various federal medical outfit in the country.
This was disclosed by the president Association of Resident Doctors DASH Dr. Moses Joshua who said despite meetings with the federal government delegation to resolve pending issues, the NARD commenced an indefinite strike, because they were not able to come to a compromise.
“We commence strike 8 a.m. today following the instruction from our national president, since it is a solidarity strike, we are still trying to evaluate and to see what the federal government will offer, then of cause it will be replicated here in the state”. the president of the association, said Thursday afternoon.
Dr. Joshua said the resolution was reached after NARD’s extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on Saturday.
He said the ultimatum given to the federal government to meet the association’s earlier demands expires March 31, with no significant achievement.
He also added that Resident doctors, who are undergoing training to become consultants, make up a large percentage of doctors in Nigeria’s tertiary hospitals, hence should be treated fairly.
Recall that Daybreak newspapers report that Resident doctors are demanding, amongst other things, payment of all salaries arrears, review of the current hazard allowance to 50 per cent of consolidated basic salaries of all health workers, and payment of the outstanding COVID-19 allowance especially in state-owned tertiary Institutions.
“Immediate payment of all salary arrears including March salaries for our members in all Federal and State Tertiary Health Institutions across the country.
“Upward review of the current 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.
Recall that Daybreak Newspapers report that the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has commenced an “indefinite Strike ” Thursday for failure by the Nigerian government to meet its demands.
April 2, 2021