The federal government has announced the payment of N15.8 billion to cover hazard and inducement allowances in the federal teaching hospitals, federal medical centers and non-COVID-19 hospitals.
Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige disclosed this at the end of a closed door meeting which lasted for about five hours between the federal government and the leadership of the Nigeria Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), led by its president, Dr. Sokumba Aliyu.
Ngige said the federal government had opened negotiations with resident doctors.
The meeting is to stop the doctors from going ahead with their planned nationwide strike next month.
The Federal Ministry of Health and the office of the Accountant General of the Federation are to resolve the 20 per cent topup and report back Tuesday.
The meeting, which lasted for about five hours, is to continue next week Thursday.
NARD had threatened to resume its suspended industrial action August 17 if the federal government did not meet its demands.
The demands of the resident doctors include the immediate resignation or removal of the Chief Medical Dorector of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Professor Henry Ugboma over alleged fraud and administrative rascality and the unconsitional reinstatement of the suspended UPTH Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) executives led by Dr. Solomon Amadi.
It also demanded that hospitals be provided with funds to sustain provision of the needed personal protective equipment, immediate implementation and funding of the medical residency training act as agreed, and payment of salary shortfall of it’s members.
