The Federal Government has berated the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), over its decision to embark on a seven-day warning strike.

The government said the action of the doctors fell short of expectations, given that the issue that led them to embark on the warning strike was being addressed.

To this end, the government vowed to activate its “no work, no pay” policy for the seven days the resident doctors’ action lasted.

It will be recalled that the resident doctors had embarked on a warning strike to register their displeasure over the inability of the government to rescue one of their members, Dr Ganiyat Popoola, abducted by bandits in December, last year and has remained in the kidnappers, den for eight months now.

The government, reacting to the doctors’ action which has crippled activities in the nation’s public hospitals across the country, insisted that the medical doctors would forfeit their benefits for the days their action lasted.

The statement, released by Ado Bako, Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Health, explained that “Over the past months, the Ministry, in collaboration with relevant security agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, have been working tirelessly to ensure the immediate and safe rescue of Dr Ganiyat Popoola.”

” High-level discussions and coordinated efforts are currently underway and we remain confident that these measures will lead to a positive outcome, “it further said.

The statement reads in full:”The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare wishes to express deep disappointment over the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors’ (NARD) decision to embark on a seven-day warning strike, disregarding all negotiations and plea attempts by the Federal Government to resolve its concerns and ensure continued industrial harmony.

“The Ministry will not relent in its efforts to guarantee the safety, and improve the welfare and working conditions of all healthcare workers, including resident doctors. Significant strides have been made in recent negotiations, and the government has demonstrated good faith by addressing many of the concerns highlighted by NARD.

“Over the past months, the Ministry, in collaboration with relevant security agencies, including the Office of the National Security Adviser, NSA, have been working tirelessly to ensure the immediate and safe rescue of Dr Ganiyat Popoola. High-level discussions and coordinated efforts are currently underway and we remain confident that these measures will lead to a positive outcome.

“The Ministry finds the decision to proceed with this strike action, amid these ongoing discussions, deeply regrettable. As we believe that continued dialogue is the best approach to resolving any outstanding issues. Given this, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare wishes to bring to the notice of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), that in line with extant labour laws, the Federal Government will evoke the “No Work, No Pay” for the number of days the strike was observed. This measure is not intended to undermine the legitimate concerns of our medical professionals but to ensure that essential healthcare services are not unduly disrupted to the detriment of the public.

“We encourage all resident doctors to return to the negotiation table so that we can collaboratively find lasting solutions to the challenges facing our healthcare sector. As always, the Ministry remains open to constructive dialogue and is committed to working together with all stakeholders to achieve a fair and sustainable resolution,” it said. (Vanguard)

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