The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has called off its month-long strike as it is set to resume on Wednesday. The National body of Resident Doctors had in August embarked on a nationwide strike following an impasse with the federal government over the non-availability of medical equipment at public tertiary hospitals.
In a communique signed by the Nigerian Medical Association, Secretary-General Ekpe Philips Uche, after the meeting held among delegates of NMA and NARD, on Sunday in Abuja, the NMA advised NARD to stop the ongoing industrial action.
At the meeting, NMA mandated the National Officers Committee, (NOC), to ensure the implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed with the federal government on August 21.
The association asked NOC to report back to the National Executive Council of NMA periodically on the progress being made on implementing the memorandum of understanding.
NMA also mandated the NOC to continue to interface with the chairmen of the state branches, including the FCT, on the progress being made.
The NARD president, Godiya Ishaya, the association has officially called off the strike.
“We’ve officially suspended the strike to resume at 8:00 am on Wednesday. We made the decision in the wee hours of today.
“We held an emergency meeting from 5:30 p.m., on Sunday, to the morning hours of today, and the NEC decided that having reviewed the progress made so far, the strike should be suspended.”
The doctors’ strike entered the ninth week, on Monday, crippling activities in public tertiary hospitals across the country, leaving patients unattended to.