From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Striking resident doctors under the umbrella of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have rejected the 25 per cent salary increase offered to them by the Federal Government, describing the offer as “paltry”.
National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), on Friday, released a memo that indicated that the President, Bola Tinubu, has approved 25 per cent salary increase for the doctors to pacify them and enable them call off the strike while discussion continue on other issues.
The doctors, at the end of their National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Lagos, on Saturday, said the 25 per cent was far from what was requested by the doctors, hence they won’t consider calling off the ongoing nationwide strike because of that.
Communique of the meeting which was made available to journalists, indicated that the doctor’s earlier demand which was for full restoration of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (COMESS) to its right value as at the time of the approval of the structure in 2009, stands.
The communique which was jointly signed by Dr. Innocent Orji and Dr. Chikezie Kelechi, NARD President and Secretary General, respectively, noted that the ongoing nationwide indefinite strike will continue until reasonable progress is made by the government to address the demands of the doctors as contained in the ultimatum issued to the federal government on the 5th of July 2023.
It further re-highlighted some of their demands which are the immediate release of the circular on the one-for-one policy for the replacement of exited clinical workers for implementation, as they cannot continue to watch their members lose their lives and break down due to workload occasioned by massive depletion of clinical staff in hospitals on account of brain drain.
The demand for immediate payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF); payment of salaries and arrears of 2014-2016, arrears of hazard allowance, arrears of consequential adjustment of the minimum wage, and promotion arrears to deserving members without further delay.
Other demand is for the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) to reverse its decision on the downgrading of the membership certificate from postgraduate medical colleges, describing it as an ill wind that blows no one good, and continuing on that path will reduce the value placed on the
postgraduate medical training in Nigeria.
The governors of Abia, Kaduna, and Enugu states as well as other states where our members’ welfare was neglected were also challenged to resolve the issues amicably.
The doctors also raised concern about the growing practice of casualization of doctors in all tertiary health institutions in Nigeria, warning that such practice could be a subject of industrial action in the near future if not nipped in the bud now.