Doctors Suspend Strike After Presidency Brokers Truce

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) is poised to suspend its planned industrial action following a productive meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila. The three-hour session at the Presidential Villa on Tuesday evening resulted in agreements that have seemingly resolved the core issues driving the potential strike.

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Today, I can tell you, our matters are solved.

NARD President, Dr. Muhammad Suleiman, expressed optimism after the meeting, stating, "Today, I can tell you, our matters are solved." He revealed that both the delegation and the Federal Government have committed to specific timelines for addressing long-standing disputes over salaries, promotions, and allowances. The meeting included key government officials, such as the Ministers of Labour, Health, and Finance, alongside heads of the Budget Office and the Accountant-General's office.

Dr. Suleiman indicated that the association secured firm commitments on nearly all outstanding issues. While a formal suspension awaits consultation with NARD's National Executive Council, the outcomes appear highly favorable. He noted that the Chief of Staff has a history of successfully intervening in matters concerning resident doctors, referencing a similar positive outcome when he served as Speaker.

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This is not the first time the Chief of Staff has intervened in matters relating to resident doctors in this country. Whenever he came into our issues, our matters were solved.

Significant agreements were reached on several fronts. For issues like meal allowances at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), a figure has been agreed upon, with implementation expected within a week. A standing directive has also been issued to ensure house officers, junior doctors in their mandatory one-year internship, receive their salaries by the 10th of every month, preventing the previous delays.

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Timelines have been agreed upon by various agencies of government on salary and promotion areas.

Furthermore, the Presidency has tasked the Ministries of Labour and Health with expediting the completion of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) between NARD and the Federal Government. This is crucial for incorporating agreed terms into the next budget cycle. The association also raised concerns about the escalating violence against healthcare workers, citing numerous assaults in the past 10 months. In response, the Ministry of Health will issue directives to hospitals to enhance security and create safe spaces, alongside public education campaigns to prevent assaults.

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We have agreed on a figure. We have agreed on numbers.