NGF Set To Intervene In Resident Doctors’ Strike

Nigerian governors have resolved to help to facilitate dialogue between the Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), the federal government and affected states.

This is aimed at ending the ongoing strike by the doctors.

The governors made the decision at the 33rd teleconference meeting of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) on Thursday.

This was made known in a communique signed by the chairman of the Forum, Kayode Fayemi.

The 25-day-old industrial action by the resident doctors has continued to take its toll on the country’s healthcare facilities.

The doctors are, amongst others, demanding payment of COVID-19 inducement allowances and medical and life insurance for frontline doctors.

The strike was one of the issues discussed at the NGF’s meeting.

“Following an update by Dr Ahmad Abdulwahab regarding the ongoing strike action by members of NARD, the Forum resolved to take a mediatory role to facilitate dialogue between NARD and the affected states,” part of the statement read.

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Further plans as to how the mediation will be done were not disclosed in the communique.

Similarly, the governors also received an update on the second phase of the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out for the country. And members stated their commitment to providing leadership and oversight for the effective flag-off and implementation of the second phase of the vaccination exercise.

The NGF also resolved to take additional measures to curb the resurgence of the spread of the virus by working with the Presidential Steering Committee (PSC) to develop applicable guidelines.

Having received a report on the emerging cases of cholera in some parts of the country, the Forum resolved to take a holistic approach to address health security challenges by domesticating the National Action Plan for Health Security with the support from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). This includes building core health security capacities in surveillance, laboratory network, emergency operations and workforce in all states.