Nigeria’s Striking Doctors Reach Truce With Govt., Issue Statement

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) will meet with its
executive council within the next 24hours with a view to calling off
the ongoing three-day-old industrial action on Thursday (today).

This is according to a communique issued after a meeting between the
federal government and the leadership of the NARD on Wednesday.

The communique, made available on Wednesday night,
was stamped with nine signatures including that of the labour
minister, Chris Ngige; the NARD president, Aliyu Sokomba; the Chairman
of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Abuja chapter, Ekpe
Phillips; the Minister for State, Health, Olorunnimbe Mamora, and the
Minister for State, Labour, Festus Keyamo.

Read the full communique below:

UNDERSTANDING REACHED AT THE END OF THE MEETING BETWEEN THE LEADERSHIP
OF THE NIGERIAN ASSOCIATION OF RESIDENT DOCTORS (NARD) AND FEDERAL
MINISTRIES OF HEALTH, FINANCE, BUDGET AND NATIONAL PLANNING, AND
NATIONAL SALARIES, INCOME AND WAGES COMMISSION (NSIWC) AT THE INSTANCE
OF THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT ON SEPTEMBER 9,
202O.

On September 7, 2020, the members of the Nigerian Association of
Resident Doctors (NARD) embarked on a total and an indefinite strike
in all Federal Na State hospitals in Nigeria over the following
demands:

i. The provision of group life insurance for doctors and other Health
Care Workers and payment of death-in-service benefit to next of
kin/beneficiaries.

ii. Universal implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act in
all Federal and State.

iii. Immediate review of the Hazard Allowance of Health Care Workers
and payment of the Covid-19 Inducement Allowance as agreed during the
stakeholders’ meeting.

iv. Immediate release of funds for Medical Residency Training for 2020
as captured in the revised Appropriation Bill.

v. Payment of all owed arrears of the Consequential Adjustment of the
National Minimum Wage to her members, and implementation of such in
States Tertiary Health Institutions.

In line with the provisions of the Trade Disputes Act, CAP T.8, Laws
of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, the Honourable Minister of Labour
and Employment held a conciliation meeting with the leadership of NARD
and relevant Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to
address the demands and resolve the trade dispute.

The meeting noted that the Federal Government had earlier addressed
most of the original eight (8) demands made by NARD and the remaining
two (2) were in different stages of being resolved.

After extensive deliberations, the following understandings were
reached on each of the demands:

1. Provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):

NARD agreed that the Hospitals and Isolation Centres now have sufficient PPE

2. The provision of group life insurance for doctors and other Health
Care Workers and payment of death-in-service benefit to next of
kin/beneficiaries:

The meeting noted that the Federal Government had paid the total sum
of Nine Billion Three Hundred Million Naira (N9B,3) to Insurance
Companies for Life Group Insurance and payment of death benefits for
Health Workers. Enrollment was by the submission of nominal rolls by
the various Health Institutions which NARD had been mandated at
previous meeting to accomplish. The meeting further noted that claims
had to be made before the Insurance benefits could be realised. It was
decided that NARD should

submit copies of claims already made to the Insurance Companies
through the Hospitals to the Federal Ministry of Health for onward
transmission to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the
Federation that would ensure that the Insurance Companies pay the
claims. The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment should be
copied.

3. Universal implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act in
all Federal and State Hospitals

Noting that the 2020 Appropriation Act was revised due to Covid-19
pandemic, the Four Billion Naira (N4B) appropriated for Residency
Training under a wrong heading for Medical Residency Training is to be
vired before expenditure. The process of amendment is therefore
ongoing and is expected that this process and cash backing will be
through in two (2) weeks.

4. Payment of outstanding 2014, 2015, and 2016 arrears:

The meeting recalled that it had been agreed that the issue would be
further discussed post Covid-19. Therefore, no agreement was breached.

5. Implementation of the Payment of the Special Hazard/Inducement Allowance

Meeting was satisfied that the N20B already appropriated in 2020
Covid-19 Budget has been exhausted to N19B and praised the Federal
Government and Mr. President for approving additional
N8,901,231,773.55 to pay up the large chunk of the June 2020 Covid-19
allowance to all Medical Health Workers. This has been cash backed and
the mandate sent to the Central Bank of Nigeria for payments to start
with effect from today September 9, 2020. This would be bring the
total disbursement to about N28B.

6. Permanent New Rate Of Hazard Allowance:

Discussions for review of a Permanent Hazard Allowance for all Health
Workers will commence as soon as possible after consultations by the
Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment with all Stakeholders in
the Health Sector. Based on the principles of ability to pay, this
will cover all Health Workers in a new Collective Bargaining Agreement
(CBA). Meeting will be convened as soon as possible in that regard.

7. Payment of all owed arrears of the Consequential Adjustment of the
National Minimum Wage to her members, and implementation of such in
States Tertiary Health Institutions:

It was noted that those affected were the Youth Corp Members and House
Officers who are regarded as ad hoc staff. For State Hospitals, the
Federal Government can only be persuasive. It was recalled that NARD
had been assigned the responsibility to submit a list from the
defaulting hospitals to the Federal Ministry of Health for onward
transmission to the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National
Planning.

8. Domestication of the Residency Training Act by State Governments:

Recognizing the Autonomy of States within the Federation, the meeting
agreed that the issue would be tabled at the National Economic Council
and National Council of Health to persuade the States to domesticate
the Act.

9. Health Workers in the Medical Centers attached to Universities:

The meeting agreed that these workers had been tied with the ongoing
strike by ASUU and negotiations concerning them would be on a
different platform involving Federal Ministry of Education.

In view of these Understandings, NARD will consult with her Executive
Council within the next 24hrs with a view to calling off the strike by
tomorrow, September 10, 2020.

Nobody will be victimized for any activity connected with or for
participating in the industrial action.