'We want implementation no be MoU' - Striking resident Doctors tell Nigeria goment

National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) say "Nobody don reach agreement with Federal Goment" on top di nationwide strike of di association wey dey go on.

Di Federal Government bin say dem don avert di major nationwide strike as dem sign Memorandum of Action (MOA) with di National Association of Resident Doctors.

Oga Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, tell tori pipo after im meeting with NARD on Wednesday 31 March for Abuja say di discussion with di resident Doctors dey fruitful and say dem go implement all di things wey dem agree.

"Hopefully, by tomorrow una go experience di payment as we agreed here for di second category of doctors, wey be overflow of di quota of di Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN)," na so oga Ngige bin to.

Im add say, "by di time di Chairman of di Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) come up with im final list and harmonise am with dat of di MDCN, we would not have issue anymore over this payment or whether some doctors have not been paid".

But Dr. Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, President of NARD tell BBC say dem don tire to sign Memorandum of Action with Federal goment and dem no get any plan to end di strike if goment no meet dia demands.

Uyilawa tok say, "We bin get one intervention meeting with di Senate Committee on Health led by Senator Yahaya Ahmed wey we wan take back to our members to ascertain if wetin dem dey offer dey acceptable and enough for us to suspend di strike.

"As e be now we no fit suspend or call off di strike until we begin see di implementation of di agreement wey we reach with Federal goment. We don tire to sign MoU. We want implementation. Resident Doctors don suffer well well for dis country. Infact, we don lose upto 17 of our members wey don die sake of Covid 19."

Di National Association of Resident Doctors get plenty demands from Federal goment wey include di immediate payment of salaries wey dem dey owe all House officers, regardless of quota system.

Dem dey also ask for upward review of di current hazard allowance to 50 per cent of consolidated basic salaries of all health workers and payment of di outstanding COVID-19 inducement allowance, especially for state-owned-tertiary Institutions, among oda demands.