The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Iziaq Salako, has appealed to the striking doctors to suspend the ongoing strike, stating that the Federal Government had met most of their demands.
Speaking at a news conference in Abuja, the Minister said the Federal Government had cleared about 60 per cent of the backlog of arrears owed to health workers.
However, the President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Mohammed Suleiman, emphasized the need for further dialogue to holistically address all outstanding issues.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has stated that its nationwide “total, comprehensive, and indefinite” strike, which began on Saturday, will continue until the Federal Government fully meets its demands.
NARD listed several unresolved demands, including unpaid arrears, allowances, and entitlements such as the 25/35 percent CONMESS review, promotion arrears, upgrade arrears, and accoutrement allowance, some of which have been pending for over five years.
The association described these demands as the minimum necessary to sustain the nation’s healthcare system and uphold the dignity of medical practice.
However the Federal Government has stated that it would release ₦11.99 billion within 72 hours to settle part of the salary and allowance arrears owed to medical professionals across the country.
