President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) Dr. Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi says the Federal Government should stand up to its responsibilities and pay the salaries of the striking doctors.
Speaking on a television program on Friday, Dr. Okhuaihesuyi criticised the Federal Government for failing to do its own job but rather resorted to blame game.
Debunking the Federal Government’s claim that 46 resident doctors had been paid the Death-In-Service Insurance, he noted that they actually lost 19 members to COVID-19 and no member has been paid.
The NARD President also faulted the federal government’s claim that most of their demands were state related, noting that most states did not even have health insurance for health workers.
The NARD President’s reactions comes hours after Minister of Health Dr. Osagie Ehanire in a briefing on Thursday asked them to resume work on Friday, as most of the issues they have raised are state affairs,.
Some of the issues raised by the medical practitioners include the immediate payment of all salaries owed to all house officers, an upward review of the hazard allowance to 50 per cent of consolidated basic salaries of all health workers and payment of the outstanding COVID-19 inducement allowance, especially in state-owned-tertiary institutions.
