Kogi doctors join NARD strike

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The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Kogi State Specialist Hospital (KSSH) Lokoja, has expressed its readiness to join the ongoing nationwide strike by NARD due to failure of Kogi State Government to meet any of their demands.

The Association disclosed this in a Communique issued at the end of its Emergency Executive Council meeting in Lokoja.

The communique which was signed by ARD KSSH’s President and Secretary General, Dr Ameh Friday, and Dr Peter Samuel, respectively, said the association would join the nationwide strike joint NARD strike with effect from Friday, July 28, 2023, pending the intervention of the State Government in addressing their lingering demands.

“First and foremost, we wish to acknowledge the efforts of His Excellency Governor Yahaya Adoza Bello in repositioning the Health Sector within the State i.e. The Kogi State Specialist Hospital KSSH interilia.

“The Chief Medical Director (CMD), Prof. Isah Yahaya Adagiri for His Achievements too numerous to mention cutting across all aspects of the Hospital since assumption of office till date.

“We also wish to observe without any contradiction that the Kogi State Specialist Hospital KSSH is the only Tertiary hospital which remained on duty despite the National Directive for all healthcare facilities to proceed on industrial action as occasioned by both the Doctors’ Strike Action (previously and currently on-going) and subsequently by JOHESU in the very recent past.

“We wish to put it on record that Members of ARD – KSSH have at countless times in the lifespan of this current administration in the State and in the supreme interest of the healthcare needs of Kogians suspended joining industrial action that will affect the quality-of-service delivery in the Hospital.

“This action has positively rubbed off on all those passing through the state for one reason or the other and who will need healthcare services.

“We also wish to state unequivocally that in the face of the massive Exodus of our members from the State Specialist hospital due to issues bordering on remuneration and basic welfare concerns we have remained in the employ of the state Government and continued to provide quality Medical/Surgical Service.

“The current wave of Doctor movement from the employment of the State Government to other centers is predicated on the non – implementation of the 1st, June CONMESS 2023 salary structure for our members.

“The congress observed with dismay the non-domestication and implementation of Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF 2020-2023) by Kogi State Government despite all efforts by ARD KSSH.

“The delays in payment of Salaries, non – implementation of annual increments, cash-backing of promotion and payment of arrears of both annual increment and Promotion.

“The non – implementation of Hazard allowance and arrears of same for our members as is obtainable in all other Sister Tertiary institutions.

“Failure to implement Minimum wage for our members despite domestication, implementation and payment of arrears by other Sister Tertiary institutions within the North-Central Zone.

“Failure to implement 6 months Covid inducement allowance as was implemented for all states in the North Central during the lockdown period.

“Continuous Exit of Doctors from the state workforce to FTHL and other places due to better wages and worker-friendly policies.

“The grim reality of basic obligations been unable to be met by our members due to the unsavory and worker-hostile economic realities with regards to the skyrocketing cost of living in Kogi and environs without any palliatives to cushion the effects of the Fuel hike among others.

“Failure to Employ/Replace Doctors due to the severely reduced manpower in the Kogi State Specialist Hospital in all Clinical Departments by Government.

“Failure to Implement 40% of basic as a cushion, to the net salary as has been domesticated by all Federal institutions and several States Governments i.e Borno, Yobe, Lagos. Etc for their workers.

“Domestications of the NARD Demands as stated in the NARD COMMUNIQUÉ, “the association said.

The association, therefore resolved that: “Having examined the aforementioned observations critically, keeping in view our previous failure to Join the National Directive to suspend service delivery because of our commitment to the client and State Government which ‘sadly has never been appreciated’, the Congress of ARD Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja (KSSH) states as follows:

“We shall Join the NARD Strike with effect from Friday Noon 1200hrs 28th July 2023 pending the intervention of the State Government in addressing all the issues raised under observations as itemized above.

“That progress on the aforementioned demands will be reviewed from time to time following which the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja (KSSH) will make her position known”.

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