The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) called off its strike on Sunday, one week after it began.
Resident doctors make up a substantial percentage of doctors in tertiary hospitals in Nigeria.
In a statement made available to the media, the union said its National Executive Council agreed to suspend the ongoing strike by 8 a.m. with effect from Monday.
It said the decision to suspend the strike was taken to give federal and state governments time to fulfill the outstanding demands following an appeal by House of Representative Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, Federation Secretary of Government, Boss Mustapha, Nigerian Governors Forum chairman and other stakeholders.
However, the association has stated that its national officials “shall continue negotiations with stakeholders and progress made shall be reviewed in four weeks during the next National Executive Council meeting in July.”
The association had embarked on an indefinite strike in hospitals on Monday over unpaid salaries, non-payment of hazard allowances, and a dearth of Personal Protective Equipment ( PPE) among several other reasons.
The association has said it has decided to suspend the strike because the government has met some of its demands.
The government had been threatening to invoke the rule of ‘no work no pay rule’ if the union continued its strike. Yet the union called the federal government bluff.
The association ‘s president, Aliyu Sokomba, said more than 300 members of her association across the country made the decision to return to work.
Mr Sokomba said some hospitals have been given PPE by the government.
He said the government needs to keep replenishing the PPEs as they are both consumables and non-reusable.
On the other demands that centered on improving general health and opposing doctor dismissals or pay cuts in two areas, Mr. Sokomba said the federal government secretary, Boss Mustapha, has vowed to interfere.
The federal government issued N 4.5 billion to 31 federal teaching and medical centers across the country as part of steps to accommodate striking doctors for the months of April and May, covering hazard and induction allowances for doctors.
The reinstatement of disengaged resident doctors at Jos University Teaching Hospital was another matter resolved.
He said that the Chief Medical Director was ordered to pay their withheld salaries and to comply with the Medical Residence Training Act provisions.
