Resident doctors, Federal Government agree, may suspend strike

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) may suspend strike today after an eight-hour meeting with the Federal Government on Friday.

The chairman of the committee, Tanko Sununu, while briefing journalists after the meeting said, “It is a very contentious issue and it took long because we tried to address the issues one by one and we came out with some resolutions.

“One of the resolutions is that as of today, because there are so many infractions, we have decided to constitute three basic committees.

 “One of the committee is to sort out the issue of House Officers and they are to commence work with immediate effect, and submit the authenticated list to the IPPIS (Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System) office within 24 hours so that payment of those who have been omitted would be done with immediate effect.

“The other committee is to be headed by a director in the Ministry of Labour (Employment and Productivity), with membership from Ministry of Health, NARD, IPPIS and Committee of CMDs (Chief Medical Directors) to look at all the infractions that were noticed, involving multiple payments and other issues, to also suggest punitive measures to be meted out to those who have acted wrongly.

“On the last committee, it was also realised from the presentation of the NARD that the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria shot within its expectations, with the accusation of so many doctors registering and they have not been given their licences. Others were unable to access their licence and so other many accusations,” Sununu said

The resident doctors agreed in principle to suspend the ongoing strike after the NARD officials expressed satisfaction with the level of implementation of their demands.

Kamila/Punch