11 Sep Promising attention to their demand, Buhari urges Nigerian doctors
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday appealed to the striking members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to return to their duty posts while negotiations continue to resolve the conflict.
According to a statement issued on Friday and signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, the President also pleaded with other health workers who are currently warming up for similar actions to reconsider their positions, saying the nation need them now more than ever before.
Buhari made the plea on Friday while receiving the leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) who paid him a visit at the state house in Abuja.
He said no matter how long negotiations may take, it is still the best way to resolve crisis.
The President was quoted as saying, “The lives of citizens that could be lost or damaged when doctors withdraw services are precious enough to be worth opting for peaceful resolution of differences.”
The President assured that all outstanding benefits owed medical doctors will be cleared, but only after necessary verifications must have been carried out.
He noted that embarking on industrial action at a critical health period for the country and citizens was not a good option.
He said, “Protecting our citizens is not to be left to government alone, but taken as a collective responsibility, in which especially medical professionals play a critical role. Let me speak directly to the striking doctors. Embarking on industrial action at this time when Nigerians need you most is not the best action to take, no matter the grievances.
“This Administration has a good track record of paying all debts owed to government workers, pensioners and contractors and we have even revisited debts left by past administrations, once due verification is done. Debts genuinely owed health workers will be settled.
“I learnt that some of the 12 points demand in the ongoing strike were already addressed. Though the review of a new hazard allowance has not been fully negotiated because of the sharp and deep division within the ranks of the striking doctors.’’
“I request that the agreement reached in the meetings of 20th and 21st August captured in the MOU which I have seen be religiously implemented,’’ he added.
To further improve the health sector, the President said budgetary allocations had been increased and a Health Sector Reform Committee, under the chairmanship of the Vice President, had been commissioned to identify and address weaknesses in the health system and align with global best practices that raise public confidence.
“We are also supporting initiatives to expand health insurance coverage and bring more resources to health financing
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