By Ekaette Ibuot
Normalcy is about to be returned to the nation’s health sector as the striking Nigerian Resident Doctors are at the verge of calling off the ongoing industrial action.
This came to play after a six hour reconciliation meeting between the Federal Government and the leadership of the National Association Of Resident Doctors (NARD).
Briefing journalists at the end of the meeting, the Chief reconciliator and Minister for Labour And Employment Sen. Chris Ngige gave an order that the strike action must be suspended by the striking doctors within 24hrs after due consultations with its organs.
He noted that the Federal Government had earlier addressed most of the original eight demands made by NARD and the remaining two were in different stages of being resolved.
After extensive deliberations, some level of understandings were reached on each of the demands by both parties.
Among them are: Provision of Personal Protective Equipments (PPEs) where NARD agreed that the hospitals and isolation centres now have sufficient PPEs. On the Provision of group life insurance for Doctors and other Health care Workers and payment of death-in-service benefit to next of kin/beneficiaries: The meeting noted that the Federal Government had paid the total sum of Nine Billion Three Hundred Million naira (#9B.3) to insurance companies for life Group Insurance and payment of death benefits for health workers.
“In view of these understandings, NARD will consult with her Executives Council within the next 24hrs with a view to calling off the strike by tomorrow, September 10, 2020.
Nobody will be victimized for any activity connected with or for participating in the industrial action”.
In his response, the President National Association Of Resident Doctors Dr. Sokomba Aliyu expressed satisfaction on the agreement reached.
He said the Association will meet immediately on how to call of the strike immediately.
It could be recalled that resident doctors embarked on indefinite strike on the ground that the Federal Government failed to meet up with their demands including insurance package, payment of outstanding covid 19 inducement allowance, onward review of covid 19 hazard allowance.
