Resident doctors suspend planned protest after meeting with Senate

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has suspended its planned nationwide daily protest after a closed-door meeting with principal officers of the senate on Tuesday.

The striking doctors had earlier planned to commence a daily peaceful protest, starting from Wednesday 9, if the government fails to meet its demands.

Emeka Orji, NARD President however said the association will review the situation in 72 hours. “We met with the Senate president, majority and minority leaders and Whip. So, the planned protest slated for Wednesday has been suspended and we will review it again in 72 hours”, he said after the meeting the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio and other o=principal officers.

“We had a very fruitful meeting with the Senate led by the President of the Senate and from our discussions with them, we are very hopeful that when we table our discussions today before the NEC, something positive would come out.

“From our interaction with the President of the Senate and the practical demonstration he did before us today, we are very confident that there would be light at the end of the tunnel in the next 24 hours”, he further said.

Also readResident doctors to begin daily peaceful protests over unmet demands Aug. 9

The president further said a decision on the ongoing strike would be taken as soon the association meets.

Speaking in the same vein, Akpabio, thanked the medical doctors for honoring the senate by calling off their planned national protest and also working towards calling off the strike.

“I thank you on behalf of the Senate for honoring us with your decision not only to cancel the planned public protest, but to also call off the strike in the interest of the suffering masses.

“Your demands are well noted and let me assure you that as soon as a Minister in charge of Health is appointed, the Senate will work with him or her to expeditiously address all your grievances. The President Bola Tinubu-led administration is Doctors friendly and that explains the large number of medical practitioners he has appointed into his cabinet”, he said.

According to Akpabio, strikes by medical practitioners should not be allowed even for a day because of the impacts it creates in the polity.