The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), has cancelled its planned nationwide protest, billed to take place on Wednesday, August 9, 2023.
Following a closed-door meeting with the Senate leadership on Tuesday, NARD, also announced plans to call off its ongoing strike soon.
NARD had in July embarked on an indefinite strike following the expiration of a two-week ultimatum issued to the federal government to meet its demands.
Crux News recalls that the association in a notice of protest signed by its president, Dr Orji Emeka Innocent , and the Secretary General, Dr Chikezie, Kelechi addressed to the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, said that the protest would begin at 10am today.
READ ALSO: https://thecrux.org.ng/strike-resident-doctors-issue-two-weeks-ultimatum-to-fg/
However, speaking with journalists after a closed door meeting with Senate President Godswill Akpabio and other Principal Officers of the Senate at the National Assembly, in Abuja on Tuesday, NARD national president, Dr Emeka Innocent Orji, announced the cancellation.
He said “From our interaction with the President of the Senate and the practical demonstration he did before us today, we are very confident that there will be light at the end of the tunnel in the next 24 hours.
“Because of the intervention of the President of the Senate, who is the number three citizen and the assurance he has given us, our planned national protest has been cancelled while the decision on the ongoing strike would be taken as soon as we meet”, he stated.
The Senate president, Godswill Akpabio, on his part, thanked the medical doctors for calling off the planned national protest and also working towards calling off the ongoing strike.