Reps Push To Prevent Strike By Resident Doctors

Source: thewillnigeria.com

SAN FRANCISCO, April 28 (THEWILL) – The House of Representatives has taken steps to prevent an industrial action by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) following threats by the union to down tools if its demands are not met.

The House, on Thursday, mandated the joint Committee on Health and Labour and Productivity to meet with relevant stakeholders in the health sector in order to ensure immediate resolution of the crisis and report back within 14 days.

The lawmakers also urged the doctors to abort their decision to embark on a nationwide strike in the interest of Nigerians and pending the intervention of the National Assembly.

The resolution was passed following the adoption of a motion under matters of urgent public importance sponsored by Kingsley Chinda.

“The recurring strikes in Nigeria have in recent times assumed an alarming dimension, resulting in low productivity and poor quality service delivery by various public institutions and by extension affected the socio-economic development of the country,” Chinda said.

“Health is of great importance in the well-being and development of any nation including Nigeria, thus Section 17(3d) of the Constitution states that the State shall direct its policy towards ensuring that ‘there are adequate medical and health facilities for all persons.

“In recent times, there has been numerous nationwide strikes actions in the health sector by bodies like Joint Health Workers Union of Nigeria and the National Association of Resident Doctors, among other bodies that operate in that sector.

“The proposed strike by NARD bothers on issues of payment of salaries and wages of their members, particularly in Abia, Imo, Kogi and Osun states, among others.

“Other issues include better conditions of service; appropriate placement of their members in federal and state tertiary hospitals across the country; reversal of sack of their members in some hospitals; adequate funding of residency programme, and upgrading of public health facilities.”

Chinda called for positive and permanent steps and efforts to curb the incessant strikes in the health sector in order to achieve the health component objective of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Story by David Oputah