October 4, 2021

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its nationwide strike which has lasted two months.

Members of the association voted in favour of suspending the industrial action during a meeting held on Sunday.

The resident doctors embarked on a nationwide strike on August 2 to protest several issues that affect them.

These include the non-payment of death benefits to families of members who died while treating COVID-19 patients, as well as non-payment of hazard allowance and arrears of salaries of members in various states.

In its bid to get the doctors back to work, the Federal Government had convened several meetings with the association, but the talks failed to resolve the impasse with both parties trading accusations in the media.

The government also sued the association at the National Industrial Court in Abuja and Justice Bashar Alkali who presided over the matter ordered the resident doctors to suspend their strike and return to work immediately, pending the determination of the substantive suit.

In the ruling delivered on September 17, Justice Alkali also directed parties in the matter to return to the negotiating table, saying no amount of money could compensate for the loss of lives as a result of the impasse.