The National Association of Resident Doctors has said that its strike will continue, despite several hours of the meeting held with the Labour and Employment Minister, Chris Ngige.
However, the Federal Government succeeded in setting up a five-man committee, expected to resolve the payment of the resident doctors, by solving the irregularities encountered in the process.
Ngige said that the committee which is an addendum to the memorandum of action reached between both parties on March 31, 2021, is part of the ongoing efforts to resolve the dispute between the government and the NARD.
According to him, the meeting agreed to set up the committee, after it was observed that “the payment of the House Officers’ salaries had experienced some irregularities, as double payments were made to some officers in some centres, while a few have not been paid todate.
He said that the five-man committee has been given 72 hours from Saturday, April 10, to produce a valid list of the names of the House Officers, to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System IPPIS, through the Federal Ministry of Health.
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The committee members were drawn from the Federal Ministry of Health, Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, IPPIS, the Nigerian Medical Association, NARD and the Committee of Chief Medical Directors.
Ngige hoped that with this and other understandings reached, NARD would give “this conciliation process, a chance for industrial peace to reign, by calling off the strike which started on April 1, 2021.
On his part, the President of NARD, Okhuaihesuyi Uyilawa, said that the national executive committee of the association would relay the outcome of the meeting to their members for the next line of action.
The doctors are demanding improved hazard allowance, payment of the minimum wage and the cancellation of the bench fees.
They are also demanding Residency training allowance, payment of the group life insurance and payment of the residents on GIFMIS platform.
Edited by : Tunde Orebiyi
