Resident doctors in Nigeria have issued the federal government a two weeks ultimatum to meet its 550 per cent salary increment request and other demands following the harsh economic realities caused by fuel subsidy removal and foreign window unification.

The National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, disclosed this in its communique on Wednesday after its virtual meeting.

During the meeting, the doctors appraised the level of implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding, MoU signed with the Government in May following the suspension of its Five-day warning strike.

The doctors expressed disappointment that seven weeks after MoU with the Federal Government, the resolutions from the meeting had not been implemented.

The doctors called on the Federal Government to immediate payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund, MRFT.

“National Executive Council of NARD observed with disappointment that it is now seven weeks since the end of the five-day warning strike action embarked upon by the Association to press home her demands and that the resolutions of the conciliatory meeting chaired by the then Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment were yet to be implemented, seven weeks after, despite the set timelines for their implementation.

“NEC expressed worry that the circular on one-for-one replacement of clinical staff who have exited the various tertiary hospitals across the country was yet to be released.

“NEC also observed that the parameters we used in arriving at a demand for a minimum of 200% increase in CONMESS have significantly changed following the removal of fuel subsidy and the attendant massive increase in fuel price and general cost of living. Using the current parameters, for us to be returned to the same expenditure level of CONMESS when it was implemented in 2014, an upward review to the tune of 550% is required”.

The Association gave the federal government till 19th July to meet the below demands:

“NEC demands the immediate payment of the 2023 MRTF as contained in the approved 2023 budget in line with various agreements we’ve reached with the government; NEC calls on the government to, without further delay, pay all outstanding arrears owed our members, including the hazard allowance and the skipping arrears of 2014-2016, and the arrears of consequential adjustment of minimum wage as there is no justifiable reason to keep owing these arrears and allowances.

“We demand the immediate release and the implementation of the guidelines on one-for-one replacement of clinical staff to cushion the effect of the massive manpower shortage in our various hospitals nationwide.

“NEC calls on the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to discontinue the downgrading of the membership certificate issued by the West African Postgraduate Medical and Surgical colleges as this is not obtainable in other parts of West Africa where these same certificates are issued.

“NEC demands the immediate payment of all Salary Arrears, implementation of the CONMESS salary structure and new Hazard Allowance and domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act and payment of the Medical Residency Training Fund to our members in the State Tertiary Health Institutions nationwide.

“NEC hereby wishes to extend her already expired ultimatum issued to the government by two weeks with effect from today, 5th July 2023.

“The NEC of NARD insists on the immediate implementation of a minimum of 200% increment in the CONMESS salary structure and upward review of the associated allowances as requested in her previous letters on the subject matter since the current economic realities in the country cannot justify the continued payment of CONMESS as it is at the moment or any increment below the 200% as demanded.

“For purposes of emphasis, at the expiration of this further extended ultimatum by 19th July 2023, if all these demands are not met, we cannot guarantee industrial harmony in the Health Sector nationwide”, NARD stated.