Dr Chris Ngige addressing NARD executive council at the meeting
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), on Wednesday, September 9 2020, reached an agreement with the Federal Government, over its ongoing strike.
At a meeting which lasted almost the entire day, the Association said it will consult its executive council within 24 hours, with a view to calling off the strike by Thursday, September 10, 2020.
Some of the issues that led to the declaration of the Nationwide strike which started off on Monday, September 7 2020, revolved around the provision of group life insurance for doctors and other Health Care Workers, payment of death-in-service benefit to next of kin/beneficiaries, Universal implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act in all Federal and State, immediate review of the Hazard Allowance of Health Care Workers and payment of the COVID-19 Inducement Allowance.
The Federal Government however noted that eight of the demands made by NARD had been addressed and the remaining two were in different stages of being resolved.
After extensive deliberations, however, both parties reached several agreements which were duly signed by Dr Sokomba Aliyu, President NARD; Dr Bilqis Muhammad President, NARD Secretary General; Dr Ekpe Philips Uche, FCNA Secretary General; Ahmed Idris, NMA Accountant General of the Federation; Dr Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour & Employment and others.
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They agreed that the hospitals and isolation Centres now have sufficient Provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
They also agreed that the Federal Government had paid the total sum of N9.3 billion to Insurance Companies for Life Group Insurance and payment of death benefits for health workers.
On the implementation of the payment of the special hazard/inducement allowance, the doctors said they were satisfied that the N20 billion already appropriated in the 2020 COVID-19 Budget has been exhausted to N19 billion and therefore, praised the Federal Government and the President for approving an additional N8.9 billion to pay up the large chunk of the June 2020 COVID-19 allowance to all Medical Health Workers.
Among several other agreements, it was also agreed upon that nobody will be victimized for any activity connected with or for participating in the industrial action.
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