FG REACHES AGREEMENT WITH RESIDENT DOCTORS
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Federal Government have reached a consensus over the nationwide strike which began on Monday, September 6th, 2020, Channels TV reports.
The agreement was reached on Wednesday, September 9th, 2020, during a meeting which lasted almost 24 hours.
NARD had said it would consult its executive council on Thursday with the intention of calling off the strike.
Recall that Eons Intelligence reported that the association embarked on a nationwide strike action over the Government's inability to meet their demands including insurance package, outstanding COVID-19 inducement allowance, and payment of medical residency funding.
Some of the issues revolved around the provision of group life insurance for doctors and other Health Care Workers, payment of death-in-service benefit to next of kin/beneficiaries, Universal implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act in all Federal and State, immediate review of the Hazard Allowance of Health Care Workers and payment of the Covid-19 Inducement Allowance.
The Federal Government however said that eight of the demands made by NARD had been addressed and the remaining two would be resolved in due course.
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After in-depth and detailed discussions, both parties reached several agreements.
They both agreed that the Hospitals and Isolation Centres now have sufficient Provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), the Federal Government should pay the total sum of Nine Billion Three Hundred Million Naira (N9.3billion) to Insurance Companies for Life Group Insurance and payment of death benefits for health workers.
See the full list of deliberations below.
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.
Also, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, 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.
After extensive and intense deliberations, the following understandings were reached on each of the demands:
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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.
3) Universal implementation of the Medical Residency Training Act in all Federal and State Hospitals.
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.
6) 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.
Read Also: FG PAYS N20Bn COVID-19 ALLOWANCE TO ALL HEALTH WORKERS IN THE COUNTRY
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