The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has repeated its position on the indefinite strike action declared across the country, insisting that the Federal Government has yet to accept its requests.

The president of the association, Dr Emeka Oji, during a press conference in Lagos State on Saturday to review the industrial action declared earlier this week, pledged to continue the nationwide strike.

He said the action will go on until reasonable progress is made by the government to address the demands of the medical doctors as contained in the ultimatum issued to the Federal Government on the 15th of July, 2023.

While listing the demands of the association, Oji called for immediate steps to be taken to meet the requests of the doctors as soon as possible “to prevent the further escalation of the ongoing industrial disharmony in the health sector nationwide.”

One of the demands of the Association is that the government replace doctors who have departed Nigeria to advanced countries, which he said the government pledged to do promptly but has yet to do so months after signing the Memorandum of Understanding.

In an attempt to avoid the strike, Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives, met behind closed doors with the leadership of the resident doctors on Monday and later discussed with the Nigerian President on the matter.

The association later embarked on the proposed strike despite the intervention from the Nigerian lawmakers.