The Federal Government on has expressed its willingness to discuss with the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria (NARD) on their demands to avert a fresh industrial action in the health sector.

Prof. Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Health, said this on Thursday in Abuja while fielding questions from newsmen.

He admitted that that government had received the ultimatum served on the ministry by the association.

Adewole, who said the engagement would avert the proposed April 26 indefinite strike notice issued by the doctors, assured the nation that there would be no strike.

“We are going to discuss the requests and demands. The Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) had stepped-in now and there is going to be a meeting in my office by Monday, April 11.

“It is also important to highlight the fact that I happened to be a former president of the association; it is my former constituency.

“We (government and NARD) will discuss and ensure that there will be no strike.”

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the NARD had served the Federal Government with a 21-day notice to meet their demands or face an indefinite strike.

Dr Muhammad Askira, President of the association, said that the ultimatum took effect from April 4.

He listed some of their demands to include payment of members’ salaries till date, appropriate placement of members in both states and federal tertiary hospitals across the nation.

Others were the reversal of sacked members in some hospitals as well as appropriate funding of residency training programme.

Askira noted that some of their members in states tertiary hospitals in Osun, Imo, Ekiti, Abia and Kogi, among others, were yet to be paid salaries ranging from three to eight months. (NAN)

•Photo shows Prof. Adewole.