The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has a history of advocating for the rights of resident doctors in Nigeria. In previous years NARD has gone on strike to protest the government’s failure to meet their demands, which pressured the government to make some concessions, including increasing the MRTF and releasing the circular on one-for-one replacement.
However, the underlying issues remained unresolved, which is why NARD is going on strike again in 2023.
On Tuesday night, July 25 2023, NARD declared to go on strike and this time for an indefinite period. The is in protest of the government’s failure to meet key demands like:
– Payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF): The MRTF is a fund that provides financial support to resident doctors during their training. The government has not yet paid the 2023 MRTF, which is causing financial hardship for many resident doctors.
– Payment of arrears: Some resident doctors have been skipped over for promotion, which has resulted in a loss of income. NARD is demanding that the government pay the arrears owed to these resident doctors.
– Upward review of CONMESS: CONMESS is the salary scale for resident doctors in Nigeria. NARD is demanding that the government increase CONMESS to be in line with the 2014 value.
The strike is also likely to have a ripple effect on other healthcare workers, as nurses and other staff may also go on strike in solidarity with resident doctors.
The government and NARD need to come to an agreement as soon as possible to avoid further disruption to healthcare services.
