Recall that the doctors embarked on indefinite strike, following their demands to resolve issues bothering on 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 hospitals, immediate review of the hazard allowance of healthcare workers and payment of the COVID-19 inducement allowance.

The President of NARD, Dr Aliyu Sokomba confirmed this on Thursday, adding that the union will review the progress made in talks with the Federal Government in two weeks, Channels TV reports.

The resident doctors and Federal Government had on Wednesday reached an agreement in a bid to end the industrial action.

During the meeting which almost took the entire day, NARD had disclosed that it will liaise with the executive council with a view to calling off the strike.

Both parties had been in talks to resolve the issues which led to NARD declaring an end to the country-wide strike.

The Federal said an additional N8.9 billion has been approved to pay up a large chunk of the June 2020 COVID-19 allowance to all health workers across the nation.

This was revealed by Senator Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment on Wednesday.

Ngige stated that the implementation of the payment of the Special Hazard and Inducement Allowance has been concluded, stressing that this has been cash-backed and the mandate sent to the Central Bank of Nigeria for payments to start with effect from September 9.

According to him, this will bring the total disbursement to about N288 billion.

The National Association of Resident Doctors began a nationwide strike on Monday, June 15. The striking doctors are among other things demanding the payment of their COVID-19 inducement allowances.

A negotiation meeting convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige with the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, and the leadership of the Resident doctors, ended in a deadlock on Tuesday night June 16 after many hours of deliberation.

The doctors refused to return to the meeting after a recess was taken. The National President, Dr Aliyu Sokomba, told newsmen that the doctors would only suspend the ongoing action within 24 hours if the government brings something tangible to the table.

Reacting to the striking doctors’ position, a visibly angry Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said he was shocked by the position of the doctors. According to him, Nigeria is the first country where doctors will be embarking on a strike action during a pandemic.

He said “One day you will be sitting where we are sitting; you will be going through the same thing we are going through. It is a circle of life. In other countries, we have seen retired doctors and workers come out of retirement.  Nigeria is the first country in the world where health workers went on strike during a pandemic ‘Health is very important and a critical area at that, and under this circumstance, the health workforce is essential persons. We have pleaded with them over their demands so that the issues can be settled amicably. A number of them (their demands) do have merits, but the government has also tried to meet their demands. Sometimes, under pressure the way the system is; we have an obligation as a ministry to be ready to protect the lives of Nigerians, we are not going to allow our hospitals to empty. The government has an obligation to support the needs to safeguard the health of the citizens. The resident doctors have told us that they are not going to return to work anytime soon until certain conditions are met and we are not sure that they would not continue expanding the goal post every time we try to reach a solution. Therefore, certain steps need to be taken to protect the citizens, particularly those who are in hospitals. The Ministry of Health will issue a directive to all medical directors and Chief Medical Directors of all federal hospitals across the country to open up a register by 7 a.m and record all those who come to work and all those who do not come to work. Further action would follow that and those who come to work, it will be understood they are still in service and when the register closes at 12 noon we will be able to know who comes to work or not”

NARD President, Dr Aliyu Sokomba, who announced this while addressing a press conference in Abuja, said the union has decided to exempt its members working in various coronavirus (COVID-19) isolation and treatment centres across the country.

According to Sokomba, the union took the decision to go on strike as a result of the failed series of meetings between the doctors and the Federal Government in the last two weeks.

Amongst their demands include

– Stoppage of Illegal deductions of Salaries by some state government

– Refund of illegally deducted salaries

-Non-payment of salaries of some members

-Non-payment of COVID19 inducement allowances

-Inadequate supply of Personal Protective Equipment

-Harassment and Assault of Doctors in the line of duty.

– Failure of government to provide life insurance for doctors and other health workers in the frontline.

In a statement released, NARD President, Dr Aliyu Sokomba, accused the government of being insensitive to the demands of doctors. He said doctors in Isolation wards and treatment centres for COVID-19 will not be exempted from the strike action once it begins.

The demands of the resident doctors include

– Stoppage of Illegal deductions of Salaries by some state government

– Refund of illegally deducted salaries

-Non-payment of salaries of some members

-Non-payment of COVID19 inducement allowances

-Inadequate supply of Personal Protective Equipment

-Harassment and Assault of Doctors in the line of duty.

– Failure of government to provide life insurance for doctors and other health workers in the frontline.