TheCable

Ibrahim Oloriegbe, chairman of the senate committee on health, has appealed to the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to call off its nationwide strike.

On August 1, resident doctors embarked on a strike over the alleged failure of the federal government to implement an agreement bordering on salaries and allowances.

Speaking on Monday at the commencement of the phase two of the COVID vaccination exercise in Abuja, Oloriegbe said the vaccine doses will not be effectively distributed with the doctors on strike.

“As we speak today, we have some sections of health workers who are not working. And for vaccine delivery for ethical delivery, we need health workers. Human resource is a huge challenge in our country,” the lawmaker said.

“I want to call on our colleagues who are on strike to please afford themselves all your opportunities of negotiations that we have had and the opportunities that government has given.

“The resources they are asking for have already been provided. It is being processed, so I want to ask the resident doctors to please go back to work. I want to assure all Nigerians that this ninth national assembly is working collaboratively with executives and other stakeholders to resolve these human resource challenges in Nigeria.

“It is a huge issue, because if you have the money, if you have the materials, we need people to get healthcare delivered, and we assure Nigerians that we shall handle this.”

On his part, Boss Mustapha, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), appealed to the doctors to call off the strike.

“We remain externally grateful to your services,” Mustapha said.

“I will lend my voice to the senator’s when he called on resident doctors association to respond to every invitation of negotiation and discussions, so that we can bring to an end the current strike action that is affecting our health administration infrastructure.”