Strike will continue until the FG meets our demands, NARD insists

NARD represents approximately 15,000 resident doctors out of a total of over 40,000 doctors in the country.

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has reiterated its position on day four of its comprehensive and indefinite strike action, insisting that the Federal Government has yet to accept its demands.

Dr Emeka Oji, President of the NARD, committed to extend the nationwide strike during a news conference in Lagos State on Saturday to evaluate the industrial action initiated earlier this week.

According to him, the strike would continue “until reasonable progress is made by the government to address our demands as contained in the ultimatum issued to the Federal Government on the 15th of July, 2023.”

While listing the demands, Oji added that it was the National Executive Committee’s (NEC) request that the federal and state governments resolve the requests “to prevent the further escalation of the ongoing industrial disharmony in the health sector nationwide.”

NARD represents approximately 15,000 resident doctors out of a total of over 40,000 doctors in the country. However, the union appears to be fighting alone, as its parent organisation, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), is not on strike.

“We’re still engaging the NMA, and we’ll continue to engage the Nigerian Medical Association,” Oji added.

“We also call on our members in the states – that was part of our resolution – that members in the states engage their state officers committee of the Nigerian Medical Association because we believe it would be difficult for NARD to do this alone.”

“As a result, we continue to engage NMA on these issues.”