Industrial Court Adjourns FG, Resident Doctors Case To Sept 15

The National Industrial Court of Nigeria has adjourned the case between the Federal Government and the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to September 15, 2021.

The Federal Government through the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, had taken the executives of NARD led by Dr. Uyilawa Okhuaihesyi, before the ICN in Abuja for its intervention over the issue of striking doctors.

The Federal Government is asking the court to prevail on the doctors to go back to work, failure of which it would enforce the ‘no work no pay’ policy.

Meanwhile, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM) has urged the Federal Government to meet the striking doctors halfway with their demands.

President of the NANNM, Adeniji Abdulrafiu, made the call in a phone chat with Prime Business.

He said the strike of the resident doctors, was impacting negatively on the industry.

Abdulrafiu said, “Resident doctors are a core part of hospitals especially the teaching hospitals, so when we have teamwork and a sector of that team is withdrawing their services, it will definitely affect others but the fact is even though we have medical, nursing, pharmaceutical practices, all of us work together as a team.

“There is the impact of the resident doctor more so when there are a limited number of hands that are attending to patients in the area of medical treatment so it will definitely affect.”

On the ongoing court case at the ICN, he said “it is more or less like a duel; you are pulling I am pulling it. The government has the right to go to court but what if the judgment does not come out in their favour? The point is we believe that they should meet at the midpoint.”

President of NARD, LUTH, Dr. Oluwafemi Hassan, described the issues between the doctors and the Federal Government as sad.

He said, “There is a lot of insincerity and impunity in governance today. Presently, Federal Government is full of impunity, they believe they can do anything without being challenged.

“I think that is what has led them into going to court instead of trying to look for a solution to the problem at hand. If they can not do everything they should try by doing some and promise to do rest later. Not trying to force their way through.”

The court said there would be proper hearing of the case on the 15th of September, 2021.