Anambra Resident Doctors Suspend Seven-Day Warning Strike After Government Concessions

The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital (COOUTH), Awka, Anambra State, has officially suspended its seven-day warning strike.

This announcement was made in a joint statement issued by the ARD-COOUTH President, Dr. Joy Okwumuo, and Secretary, Dr. Chukwubuike Ifekudu, on Saturday in Awka.

According to LMSINT MEDIA, the doctors had embarked on the industrial action on Thursday to push for improved working conditions and fulfillment of pending welfare demands.

Doctors Resume Work After Government Approval of Demands

The association confirmed that all members are expected to resume duty by 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, following the state government’s approval of their requests.

The statement explained that Governor Chukwuma Soludo granted approval for the release of the Medical Residency Training Fund and a 100 percent upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), effective by the end of September.

Additionally, the governor approved several other demands, including:

• House officers’ allowances
• Rural posting benefits for previously skipped departments
• Accouterments and specialist allowances from CONMESS 5 step 5 for resident doctors
• Payment of accumulated arrears, including the previously skipped 2024 hazard allowance arrears

ARD Commits to Collaboration and Calls for Recruitment

The resident doctors also pledged to work closely with the hospital’s Chief Medical Director (CMD) to ensure the proper implementation of all approved decisions.

The statement further emphasized the urgent need for recruitment of resident doctors and house officers to meet medical college staffing standards and to mitigate the growing challenge of brain drain in the state’s healthcare sector.

The association renewed its call for the accreditation of Family Medicine, Radiology, and Anaesthesiology departments. According to ARD, this step is critical in enabling members to sit for professional postgraduate examinations without unnecessary limitations.

Appreciation to Stakeholders

In its closing remarks, ARD-COOUTH expressed profound gratitude to Governor Soludo, the Anambra State Head of Service, the Commissioner for Health, the management of COOUTH, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), and the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) for their immense support in ensuring that the demands were considered and approved.