Doctors Continue Strike

Hopes for a quick end to the ongoing industrial action by resident doctors nationwide dimmed yesterday after health minister Onyebuchi Chukwu lamented that the strike was"unacceptable."

This came after the labour ministry, which called a meeting last Friday to arbitrate between National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the health ministry, had earlier expressed hopes that both sides had agreed to "consider" a suspension of the strike, already lasting a week.

Fielding questions in Abuja at a retreat for tertiary health institutions, the minister said NARD's industrial action was "uncalled for because the issues at stake are issues we are already handling after we met the Nigerian Medical Association."

One of the issues raised by Nigeria Medical Association is disruptions in carrying out payments for House officers on account of federal hospitals using a centralized Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

Despite the ongoing talks, at least seven tertiary hospitals using IPPIS still owe their House officers and resident doctors since August it was revealed at the retreat.

Chukwu denied political motivation as basis for the strike but said resident doctors could have exercised patience since they took part in ongoing meetings.

"We understand some of the issues have not been resolved but I think we can do well to exercise some patience and not go on strike, because, when we go on strike, people do die," he said.