Tinubu orders minister to resolve doctors’ strike

President Bola Tinubu has directed the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to take all necessary and legitimate steps to ensure that members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, who began an indefinite strike on Saturday, immediately return to work.

The directive was disclosed by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, following the industrial action which has paralysed services in federal and state tertiary hospitals.

Salako said the President had given a clear mandate to resolve the impasse and restore normalcy in the nation’s hospitals.

“Mr President has expressly directed that we do everything possible and legitimate to ensure that the resident doctors are brought back to their duty posts as soon as possible,” the minister stated.

THE PRIME NEWS reports that the minister said progress had been made despite disagreements over pay relativity and the appointment of non-doctor consultants.

“We engaged an external industrial relations expert to mediate, and most of the 19 issues raised by NARD are already being addressed,” he added.

Salako revealed that the Federal Government had released N21.3bn to settle outstanding arrears and allowances, with 60 per cent of doctors already paid.