The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), on Tuesday, finally waded into the dispute between the striking Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) and the Federal Government, calling for a speedy resolution of disagreements over labour demands.

The resident doctors on July 25 declared a “total and indefinite strike action” over unmet demands including the payment of the 2023 MRTF, the release of the circular on one-for-one replacement, and the payment of skipping arrears, among others.

They later announced plans to picket the Federal Ministry of Health, Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, as well as all federal and state tertiary health institutions nationwide every day from Wednesday.

The NMA, in a statement by its President, Dr. Uche Ojinmah, stressed that as the “mother association” to NARD, the labour dispute which it described as avoidable had gone on for “far too long” to the detriment of the common Nigerian citizen.

“We hereby call on our Government to quickly conclude measures to resolve all areas of disagreement and eschew all punitive responses in the interest of industrial harmony,” Ojinmah said.

“The union also urged the resident doctors to extend a gesture of goodwill towards the government in the interest of our suffering patients and fellow citizens.

“Let’s put aside all obstacles (contrived or real) towards a speedy resolution of this dispute for the love of the Nation.”

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