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Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, yesterday asked the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, to be realistic in their demands, and urged them to suspend the planned strike to allow it intervene in the dispute.
He also urged officials of NARD to be patient while the issue was being resolved amicably.
The speaker, who spoke at a meeting with the leadership of the doctors in his office, equally asked the doctors to offer realistic solutions to the issues in dispute.
Recall that the resident doctors had embarked on warning strike before the inauguration of the current administration, demanding a 200 per cent increase in their salaries and other associated allowances.
They also wanted payment of all salary arrears, implementation of the CONMESS salary structure and new hazard allowance, domestication of the Medical Residency Training Act and payment of medical residency training fund to its members in state tertiary health facilities among others.
After suspending the strike, the doctors issued a fresh two-week ultimatum for the government to meet its demands.
However, the speaker said the decision of the leadership of the doctors to meet with the House was an affirmation of their faith and confidence in its capacity to intervene and resolve the lingering issues in dispute.
He said: “This is most reassuring, owing to the fact that the 9th Assembly had previously intervened in this matter. We hope to even go beyond the steps and actions taken by the previous House to ensure that we find a lasting resolution to the ever lingering crisis.
“Given your faith in us, I would urge you to suspend the impending industrial action while we intervene. We equally seek your understanding of the fact that a new administration just came on board and still in the process of settling down, as ministers are yet to assume office.
“We are not unmindful of the many sacrifices resident doctors have continued to make in the health sector, in spite of the many challenges you face and the poor conditions within which you work.
”While many of your colleagues have left the shores of our country in pursuit of better working conditions, you have chosen to remain behind in service to the fatherland.
”We commend you for this and assure you that we would deploy every legislative instrument available to us to ensure that you are fully compensated and rewarded for this act of patriotism.”
“I encourage you to take advantage of this meeting to bare your minds on the issues at stake and suggest realistic solutions to them. We must approach these issues with an open mind and guided by the fact that revenues available to the government may not fully meet our demands.
“Therefore, we must find a middle ground that satisfies everyone without prejudice to the 2023 Memorandum of Understanding.
”We particularly note that your demands include the payment of the 2023 Medical Residency Training Fund, upward review of Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, CONMESS, and salary arrears dating back to 2015.
These issues and more can be resolved without embarking on an industrial action.”
The speaker after his remakes, entered into a close door meeting with NARD representatives of the ministry of finance and lawmakers. (Vanguard)
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