FG Slams Striking Doctors, Says “No Work, No Pay”
After pleading with the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (Nard) to address its problems and maintain industrial harmony, the Nard has decided to go on a seven-day warning strike, which has disappointed the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Ado Bako, spokesman for the ministry, announced that in accordance with current labour rules, the federal government has invoked the “no work, no pay” policy for the duration of the strike.
He maintained that the measure’s purpose is not to discredit doctors’ concerns but to safeguard the public’s access to quality treatment by avoiding unnecessary disruptions.
A seven-day protest by resident doctors across Nigeria began on Monday in a demand for the release of Ganiyat Popoola, a doctor from Kaduna who has been held captive for more than eight months.
According to Bako, who spoke on Thursday, the ministry and relevant security agencies have been trying to save Popoola for the past few months, and there are now high-level talks and coordinated measures to do so.
This statement called on all resident doctors to get back to the negotiating table and help us solve the healthcare sector’s problems once and for all.
Given this, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has been notified by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare that, in accordance with current labour rules, the Federal Government will implement the “No Work, No Pay” policy for the duration of the strike.
This action is not intended to discredit the valid concerns of our healthcare providers; rather, it is intended to avoid unnecessary interruption of vital healthcare services for the general population.
To address the long-term problems in our healthcare system, we urge all resident physicians to get back to the negotiating table. The Ministry has reiterated its commitment to engaging in productive discourse and its willingness to collaborate with all parties involved in order to reach a just and long-lasting conclusion.