Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC) Ile-Ife Chapter President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr. Anthony Anuforo, has guaranteed the populace that the present strike will end as soon as the Federal Government pays members’ salaries.
Anuforo provided the promise during a Tuesday interview in Ile-Ife with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Adding that some of the unpaid salaries date back to January 2023, he claimed that the NARD Ile-Ife branch has been in contact with the university administration since March 2023 when they first brought up the issue.
The NARD President complimented the previous interim Association’s efforts for making every effort to pay the salary and promised that his team would continue to make this endeavour.
He claims that there are, among other things, outstanding COVID-19 and risks allowances from 2017 as well as wage arrears.
Anuforo pleaded for interested parties to step in and convince the university administration to “pay our members.”
He regretted that their demands had not been satisfied but pointed out that the federal government has till Wednesday to respond to the nationwide strike call by resident doctors.
Anuforo claimed that the current NARD management, which has taken over for the past two weeks, is doing everything in its power to assure the payment of back wages.
“I thought that the strike would provide the Federal Government with the impetus to move through with the payment and other perks.
By raising the budgetary allocation for health, the government should do its best in the healthcare sector, Anuforo highlighted.
A hungry and enraged doctor is a dangerous doctor, Anuforo pleaded with the people, adding that the strike was for the good of both the doctors and the patients.
“Let the government take care of the association’s members, and the doctors will take care of the patients in turn,” Anuforo suggested.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), only consultants are now caring for patients while the strike is in effect.
