Doctors under the umbrella of the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria have agreed to meet with the Federal Government over the review of hazard allowance for health workers on June 1.
Recall that doctors commenced an indefinite nationwide strike on April 1, following the expiration of a 60-day ultimatum given to the Federal Government to clear outstanding salaries of house officers, review of hazard allowance, among other demands.
The resident doctors decided to suspend its strike on April 12 after it handed the government another four-week ultimatum, which lapsed on May 10 to meet its demands.
Shortly after the strike was suspended, only one out of five months salaries for doctors on the GIFMIS platform was offset.
However, NARD President, Dr. Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, has confirmed that the association is meeting with the government on June 1.
“We had a meeting on May 7, and as it stands now, about 95 per cent of the House Officers have been paid, while about five per cent of them still have issues with their banks.
“Of the residents in GIFMIS, of the five months, the government has paid only one month. That is where we are still having challenges.
“Concerning the hazard allowance, the government said we will meet on June 1, which we are waiting for.”
“Concerning the death in service insurance, we were told that they have given out over 350, and we were told to ask our members if they have received it. We are going to confirm this by tomorrow (Monday) by going to the Head of Service.
“However, we are having an Annual General Meeting from May 24 to 29th in Awka. This will determine the next step of what we intend to do.”
“The Federal Ministry of Health is more like the culprit and they do not know what they are supposed to do; they are the ones bringing the health sector backwards. They will accede to certain agreements – MOA, and will go back to deny what has been signed, and start giving excuses for things that are not there.
“The government side was told to go and sit down and tell us the hazard allowance that we are going to be offered, but as of the last meeting we went to, they had no clue, and we were not given anything from the Ministry of Health. Therefore, we were told to come back on June 1, that they should be able to give all health workers the amounts that have been appended to in the hazard allowance. All health workers, Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Labour, the Budget Office and the Head of Service are supposed to be at the meeting on June 1.”
