Doctors under the aegis of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have halted plans for its daily nationwide protest after a closed-door meeting with the leadership of the Senate. NARD President, Emeka Orji, made this known in a chat with newsmen after the meeting on Tuesday, adding, however, that there will be a review in the next 72 hours. “We met with the Senate president, majority and minority leaders, and Whip. So, the planned protest slated for Wednesday has been suspended and we will review it again in 72 hours.”
In a different statement, the President of the Senate, Mr. Akpabio, applauded the doctors for calling off the protest and also working towards calling off the strike. According to the statement by Mr. Akpabio’s media office, the Senate President said the doctors’ demands are well noted “and will be addressed as soon as a new minister is appointed for the health sector.”
“I thank you on behalf of the Senate for honoring us with your decision not only to cancel the planned public protest but to also call off the strike in the interest of the suffering masses,” he said.“Your demands are well noted and let me assure you that as soon as a Minister in charge of Health is appointed, the Senate will work with him or her to expeditiously address all your grievances.”
He said the President Bola Tinubu-led administration is doctors friendly and that his passion for the reform of the country’s health sector “explains the large number of medical practitioners appointed into his cabinet.”
He noted that strikes by medical practitioners should not be allowed even for a day because of the impact it creates on the polity. “That is why the senate is determined to ensure through interactions and consultation with relevant offices, the amicable settlement of the impasse is reached.”
Recall that resident doctors who had been on strike since 26th July had agreed to embark on a daily protest, with effect from Wednesday, failure of the government meeting with her demands. The decision has triggered the Federal Government to the Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of federal tertiary hospitals to commence the enforcement of the “no work, no pay” policy against the striking doctors.
This policy means that the doctors who continue to stay away from their duty posts will not receive their regular salaries while the strike lasts.
