The
Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare wishes to express deep
disappointment over the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors’ (NARD) decision
to embark on a seven-day warning strike, disregarding all negotiations and plea
attempts by the Federal Government to resolve its concerns and ensure continued
industrial harmony.
The
Ministry will not relent in its efforts to guarantee the safety, improve the
welfare and working conditions of all healthcare workers, including resident
doctors. Significant strides have been made in recent negotiations, and the
government has demonstrated good faith by addressing many of the concerns
highlighted by NARD.
Over the past months, the Ministry, in collaboration with relevant security agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, have been working tirelessly to ensure the immediate and safe rescue of Dr Ganiyat Popoola. High-level discussions and coordinated efforts are currently underway and we remain confident that these measures will lead to a positive outcome.
The
Ministry finds the decision to proceed with this strike action, in the midst of
these ongoing discussions, deeply regrettable. As we believe that continued
dialogue is the best approach to resolving any outstanding issues.
In
view of this, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare wishes to bring
to the notice of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), that in
line with extant labour laws, the Federal Government will evoke the "No
Work, No Pay" for the number of days the strike was observed. This measure
is not intended to undermine the legitimate concerns of our medical
professionals but to ensure that essential healthcare services are not unduly
disrupted to the detriment of the public.
We encourage all resident doctors to return to the negotiation table so that we can collaboratively find lasting solutions to the challenges facing our healthcare sector. As always, the Ministry remains open to constructive dialogue and is committed to working together with all stakeholders to achieve a fair and sustainable resolution.
Ado Bako
Assistant Director (Information and PR)
29/08/2024
