ANOTHER ROUND OF STRIKE IN THE HEALTH SECTOR IMMINENT AS RESIDENT DOCTORS (NARD) MEET SATURDAY, 2ND JUNE, 2018

 
*21Days Grace Expires, JUTH Doctors Yet To Be Recalled

As the 21 days grace handed over to the Federal  Government  to resolve all lingering  issues as well as the recalling if its  members sacked  at the Joseph University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), elapsed on Thursday May 31,  the Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has scheduled a meeting for June 2, while  warning that it cannot guarantee industrial harmony.

This was disclosed  at a media  briefing held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kaduna Council Secretariat on Wednesday evening.

” It may also interest you all that an extraordinary National Executive Council meeting of NARD is scheduled to hold on the 2nd of June, 2018.

“NARD leadership may not be able to guarantee continuous industrial harmony should our legitimate agitations be ignored by government, ” the text of the statement,  jointly signed  by NARD Publicity and Social Secretary,  Dr. Ugochukwu A. Eze, President, Association of Resident Doctors

National Eye Centre, Kaduna,  Dr. Ibrahim Zakarya Abubakar,  President, Association of Resident Doctors

ABUTH Zaria, Dr. Sokomba Aliyu and  President Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Kaduna,  Dr. Elonu Chukwudi Charles.

The group recalled  that on 27th March, 2018 NARD had an extraordinary National Executive Council meeting where issues pertaining to the unjust sack of Resident Doctors in Jos University Teaching Hospital, Jos (JUTH) were extensively discussed.

“At the end of the meeting, a 30 days ultimatum was issued starting from the 2nd of April, 2018 which elapsed on the 2nd of May, 2018.

“Twelve (12) days after the expiration of the ultimatum, at the Ordinary General Meeting held in ABUTH Zaria from 5th–11th May, 2018, the ultimatum was extended by 21days to allow Government time to effect recall of all sacked Residents Doctors in JUTH and also to meet up with all outstanding agreement contained in our 6th September, 2017 Memorandum of Terms of Settlement. This ultimatum ends tomorrow 31st May, 2018, ” NARTO said.

NARD explained that the group  has done all that was required to help solve the problem in JUTH through extensive advocacy.

” The September 2017 strike was suspended to allow government complete implementation of the terms of settlement but there are still unmet agreements by the Government.

“It may also interest the general public to know that the members of Joint Health Sector Workers Union (JOHESU) have been on strike for the past 44 days. Healthcare in the country has been anchored upon the shoulders of Resident Doctors mainly (NARD being the largest single body of Doctors in Nigeria), ” they pointed out.

The group therefore,  appealed to Government and the public to impress on government to reciprocate their good will and solve their  problem.

The Residency training programme is a programme where Specialist Doctors are trained to guarantee availability of Specialist Health Services in the country and minimize brain drain.