The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has called on the Federal Government to upgrade the remuneration of medical doctors in Nigeria, describing the current salary as poor.

Chairman of NARD, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, (UCTH) chapter, Dr Emmanuel Idoko, disclosed this during an interview on Saturday in Calabar while reacting to the association’s ongoing strike.

NARD began its indefinite strike on November 1 to protest poor welfare, salary, and other issues.

Mr Idoko also appealed to the government to implement the association’s pending 19 demands reached after a collective bargaining agreement with the Federal Government.

He recalled that the agreement between NARD and the Federal Government, first signed in 2009 and reviewed in 2014 and 2019, had yet to be implemented.

He urged the government to consider their request for the recruitment of more doctors to reduce workload, review of the salary structure, reduction of call hours, and provision of modern hospital infrastructure.

Mr Idoko said that the doctors’ requests also included the recognition and certification of doctors who had passed their part-one specialist examinations.

He added that the industrial action was aimed at soliciting the government’s implementation of their 19 demands.

Mr Idoko said, “Once we see realistic timelines, we will reconvene our National Executive Council (NEC) and review the situation.’’

(NAN)