No-work-no-pay Directive: FG Battles NARD, Opens Attendance Registers, resident doctors adamant
The Federal Government has mandated all chief medical directors in teaching hospitals across the country to open attendance registers with a view to stopping salaries of doctors taking part in the strike called by the National Association of Resident Doctors.
The order, which was revealed by a senior health official, was also confirmed by the President of NARD, Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi, on Sunday.
The senior health official stated: “Government is determined to implement the no-work-no-pay order. As from tomorrow, attendance registers will be opened in all hospitals. Everybody will be paid based on attendance.”
As government and resident doctors on Sunday traded blame over the strike, plight of patients in the affected hospitals worsened as many of them were withdrawn by their relatives.
Recall that NARD on Monday last week resumed the strike it suspended on April 10 following the Federal Government’s promise to meet its demands including payment of the residency fund, COVID-19 allowance, hazard allowance as well as the outstanding salary shortfalls.
Before resuming the strike on Monday, the doctors alleged that the Federal Government failed to implement the Memorandum of Understanding it signed with them after over 100 days they suspended their last strike.
According to them, despite efforts by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, to ensure the Medical Residency Training Funds are captured in the supplementary budget, the Federal Government has failed to disburse the funds to their members.
The PUNCH last week reported that the strike grounded tertiary hospitals in the country as consultants, who were left to attend to patients, were overwhelmed by the large number of the patients.
On Friday, the Federal Government said it had invoked the “no –work- no pay” rule as contained in Section 43 of the Labour Act.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, who stated this in an interview on Politics Today, a current affairs programme on Channels Television, said government had communicated its position to the leadership of NARD.
