The resident doctors under the agies of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have commenced their planned nationwide strike indefinitely, following the expiration of an ultimatum issued to the Federal Government.
NARD President, Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, announced the commencement of the nationwide strike during an interview on Sunrise Daily – a breakfast programme on Channels Television.
Dr Okhuaihesuyi, said NARD embarked on an indefinite strike today, Thursday morning.
“The strike commenced 8am this morning, and we enjoin all resident doctors to start the strike immediately.
“We are doing this for all health workers,” he said.
Earlier, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Doctor Chris Ngige, had a conciliatory meeting with the leaders of the union on Wednesday in Abuja.
During the meeting, the Minister appealed to the aggrieved medical practitioners to have a rethink and sheathe their sword, saying the Federal Government was making efforts to ensure their demands were met.
Reacting, Okhuaihesuyi who led other leaders of the union to the discussion said they were not strange to the government’s proposal.
“We had a meeting with the Minister of Labour from 4pm till about 12am this morning; we insist that the implementation of what we wrote on the strike notice should be intimated immediately.
“We are not just doing this for resident doctors, we are doing this for all health workers … the government needs to be more responsible,” the NARD president stated.