Nigerian doctors suspend strike over benefits to hold talks

LAGOS, June 22 (Reuters) - Resident doctors in Nigerian
public hospitals have suspended a strike they began last week in
which they demanded better benefits, including the provision of
more protective equipment, as they battle the coronavirus, the
union said on Monday.
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD),
launching the industrial action last Monday, said it would give
the government two weeks to meet its demands or else those
treating COVID-19 patients, who stayed on the job, would also
walk out. Resident doctors are those who have graduated from medical
school and are training as specialist consultants. They are
pivotal to frontline healthcare in Nigeria as they dominate the
emergency wards in its hospitals.
The NARD has sought a COVID-19 pay supplement in addition to
life insurance for doctors and more funds in the federal budget
for their training, among other demands.
The union said in a communique that it suspended the strike
from Monday after steps by government officials which included
showing a commitment to procuring life insurance for health
workers, and the inclusion of funding for training of residents
in the 2020 budget.
"This decision to suspend the strike action was taken in
order to give the federal and state government time to fulfil
the outstanding demands," NARD said in the communique.
"The national officers shall continue negotiations with
stakeholders and progress shall be reviewed in four weeks," it
said.
Nigeria has had 20,000 confirmed cases of the virus and 518
deaths. Most cases have been in Lagos, sub-Saharan Africa's
biggest city with 20 million inhabitants.
Strikes are common in Nigeria's public health system, with
clinicians frequently seeking pay rises and improvements to
under-funded infrastructure to meet the rising burden of
healthcare.