The Federal Government on Thursday said most of the requests being made by the National Association of Resident Doctors are within the jurisdiction of the state governments.
The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, disclosed this during a media press briefing in Abuja.
Recall that the association in June had issued a four weeks ultimatum to the Federal government.
Some of the issues it raised include the migration of doctors from the gifmis platform to the IPPIS platform. The association also lamented the non-payment of house officers, inconsistency in payment of salaries and non-payment of death benefits.
Ehanire, however, said the association was using the anxiety surrounding the third wave of COVID-19 to push its demands as seven out of the 12 demands presented by NARD are within the jurisdiction of the state governments. According to him, in NARD's notice titled 25th July 2021, they mentioned states like Imo, Kaduna, Delta and Lagos. He believes it is not a just move to call for a nationwide strike yet as the Federal Government can not force the states in question to do anything
The minister also said he hoped the doctors will understand that going on strike now will not give doctors a good image.
