COVID-19 doctors not participating in strike risk N5m fine, NARD threatens

The National Association of Resident Doctors has threatened to impose a fine of N5m on doctors at the COVID-19 isolation centres who fail to join its nationwide strike that commenced on April 1.

The NARD disclosed that branches found wanting would not be able to hold any national position for the next two years.

In an interview with one of our correspondents, NARD President, Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi disclosed that the threat to impose a N5m fine on errant branches and frontline doctors was contained in an internal memo sent out to members by the National Executive Council of the association.

Recall that NARD, an association of doctors undergoing residency training, had on April 1 begun a nationwide strike over government’s failure to pay salaries of house officers and review N5,000 hazard allowance of doctors.

Last-minute efforts on March 31 by the Federal Government to prevent the strike failed as the doctors shunned an agreement they signed with government on the grounds that proposals contained in it were not new.

On April 1, there were reports that members of the association at the COVID-19 isolations did not join the strike on compassionate grounds.

But the internal memo of the association obtained by The PUNCH on Monday threatened to impose N5m fine on any branch that shunned the strike.

It read in part, “NARD affirms her commitment to the welfare of all members. All members of NARD will be levied the sum of N2, 500 as strike levy for the smooth prosecution of the industrial action.

“Penalty for any centre that sabotages the industrial action will be payment of a fine of N5m and suspension from holding any NARD national officers committee positions for two years.”

Meanwhile, it was learnt that the strike, which entered its fifth day on Monday, might be taking its toll on the COVID-19 response.

Okhuaihesuyi said doctors at the isolation centres, who are their members, were asked to join the strike because of the importance of this particular industrial action.

“I know some people may think we are selfish but this strike is about improving the health sector and improving service delivery,” he said.

The NARD President, however, said consultant doctors should be able to handle emergencies at the isolation centres for now.

NARD comprises over 40 per cent of the total number of doctors in Nigeria. There are some 42,000 doctors in Nigeria, out of which 16,000 are resident doctors – medical school graduates training as specialists.