Nigerian doctors under the umbrella body of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) have embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike.
In the light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Nigeria, NARD president Dr Aliyu Sokomba said it has exempted its members that are working in Nigeria’s various COVID-19 isolation and treatment centres from joining the strike. He however added that the exemption is for two weeks after which they will also be directed to join the strike.
Explaining the rationale behind the strike, Sokomba attributed the industrial action to the failure of meetings held by representatives of the doctors’ union and the Nigerian government to resolve the lingering industrial disputes.
One of such is the non-payment of special allowances for the resident doctors. The union also expressed displeasure with the deplorable state of hospitals in addition to the lack of protective equipment for resident doctors that are treating COVID-19 patients.
The union noted that many of its members have been exposed to COVID-19 with fatalities recorded.
