The federal government announced on Thursday that it will apply the ‘no work, no pay’ policy to striking resident doctors.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare issued a statement signed by Ado Bako, Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations.
The statement stated that the ministry is dissatisfied with the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors’ decision to go on a seven-day warning strike, despite all conversations and attempts by the Federal Government to resolve its concerns and ensure continuing industrial harmony.
On Monday, NARD launched a seven-day warning strike in response to the kidnapping of their colleague, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola, eight months ago.
Popoola, a registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre in Kaduna, was abducted on December 27, 2023, together with her husband and nephew.
Popoola and her nephew are still being held captive, despite the fact that her husband was released in March.
Dr. Dele Abdullahi, President of NARD, stated that the decision was made during the Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting, which took place virtually on Sunday.
The health ministry stated that it will not give up in its efforts to ensure the safety and improve the welfare and working conditions of all healthcare professionals, especially resident doctors.
It stated that great progress has been achieved in recent negotiations, and the government has shown good faith by resolving several of NARD’s issues.
The statement read, “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, in the midst of these ongoing discussions, deeply regrettable. We believe that continued dialogue is the best approach to resolving any outstanding issues.
“In view of 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.”
However, the ministry asked doctors to return to the negotiating table in order to find long-term solutions to the healthcare sector’s difficulties.
“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 added.
