NARD ORDERS COVID 19 DOCTORS TO JOIN ONGOING STRIKE, THREATENS N5 MILLION FINE

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has ordered doctors at the COVID-19 isolation centres to join the ongoing nationwide strike, or face a N5 million fine. 

The directive was contained in an internal memo sent out to members by the National Executive Council of the association.

Recall that resident doctors embarked on a nationwide strike on April 1 over the government’s failure to pay salaries of house officers and review N5,000 hazard allowance of doctors, including payment of the outstanding COVID – 19 inducement allowance especially in the State owned-tertiary Institutions.

However, resident doctors in covid 19 isolation centres did not join the strike on compassionate grounds. As the strike enters the fifth day, NARD has also threatened to suspend branches that do not comply with the industrial action from holding any NARD national officers committee positions for two years.

Excerpts from the internal memo read: “NARD affirms her commitment to the welfare of all members. All members of NARD will be levied the sum of N2, 500 as strike levy for the smooth prosecution of the industrial action.

“Penalty for any centre that sabotages the industrial action will be payment of a fine of N5m and suspension from holding any NARD national officers committee positions for two years.”

Credit: EONS Intelligence