The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has called on the Federal Government to increase the remuneration of medical doctors in Nigeria, describing the current salary as very poor.
The Chairman of NARD, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, Chapter, Dr Emmanuel Idoko, disclosed this in an interview yesterday in Calabar while reacting to the association’s ongoing strike.
Recall that NARD began its indefinite strike on November 1 to protest poor welfare, salary, and other issues. Mr Idoko also appealed to the government to implement the association’s pending 19 demands reached after a collective bargaining agreement with the Federal Government.
He recalled that the agreement between NARD and the Federal Government, first signed in 2009 and reviewed in 2014 and 2019, was yet to be implemented.
He urged the government to consider their request for the recruitment of more doctors to reduce workload, review the salary structure, reduce call hours, and provide modern hospital infrastructure.
Mr Idoko said that the doctors’ requests also included the recognition and certification of doctors who had passed their part-one specialist examinations.
He added that the industrial action was aimed at soliciting the government’s implementation of their 19 demands. “Once we see realistic timelines, we will reconvene our National Executive Council (NEC) and review the situation,’’ Mr Idoko said.
