Following a private meeting with key senate officials on Tuesday, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors decided to call off its scheduled daily statewide protest.
According to The PUNCH, this was disclosed by the President of NARD, Emeka Orji, in a chat with journalists.
He also stated 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.”
The striking doctors had already intended to launch a daily peaceful demonstration beginning Wednesday if the federal government did not accept their demands.
The decision followed the Federal Government’s direction to the Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of federal tertiary hospitals to begin enforcing the “no work, no pay” policy against the striking doctors.
Following the government’s inability to satisfy their demands, the doctors went on indefinite strike on July 26.
The doctors are requesting the following: the immediate payment of all salary arrears; the implementation of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure; a new hazard allowance; and the domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act from the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.
They are also demanding an end to the downgrading of the membership certificate issued by the West African Postgraduate Medical and Surgical Colleges.
