The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has threatened to
disrupt industrial harmony should the Federal Government refuse to accede to
its demands.
The organisation said it would take decision to proceed on strike in its
meeting scheduled for today (Tuesday).
NARD issued the threat in communique on Monday after an extraordinary National
Executive Council zoom meeting on Saturday.
The communique was signed by NARD President, Dr Uyilawa Okhuaihesuyi; Secretary-General, Dr Jerry Isogun and Public Social Secretary, Dr Dotun Oshikoya.
According to the communique, NEC deliberated on the unfair delay of
members (House officers and some resident doctors) on the GIFMIS platform for
over three months.
Others were the non-payment of minimum wage and other salary arrears “to
our members nationwide; non-implementation of the 50 per cent of consolidated
basic salary as hazard allowance for all health care workers and non-payment of
the Medical Residency Funding for 2019, 2020, and 2021.”
NARD said, “All clinical health workers should be considered for COVID –
19 vaccination and the other issues affecting efficient health care delivery in
the face of the COVID – 19 pandemic including adequate provision of PPEs be
addressed.
“We wish to remind you that some of these issues have lingered on for so
long and had culminated in a nationwide industrial action on 14th September
2020 which was later suspended to give room for further negotiations and
possible settlement.
“In furtherance to the above, the NEC unanimously resolved to proceed on
a recess to reappraise the outcomes of the meeting scheduled for Tuesday March
9 2021, following which industrial harmony cannot be guaranteed if the above
demands are not acceded to.”
Amidst the Covid-19 vaccination exercise, which is on-going in various parts of the world, the Senior Pastor of Trinity House, Ituah Ighodalo, has criticised those who believe that their faith is enough to protect them from the virus, when God has given a Vaccine as alleged by him.
This is stemmed from the arguments raised by some clerics against the vaccines, which was developed for the treatment of the novel Coronavirus disease.
Recall, that we had reported that Pastor Chris Oyakhilome of Christ Embassy slammed other clerics who wanted to become ministers of the vaccine, rather than concentrating on the healing power of God.
The General Overseer of the Omega Fire Ministries International, Apostle Johnson Suleman, has also expressed lack of confidence in the vaccine.
However, the Senior Pastor of Trinity House, Ituah Ighodalo who spoke to ARISE TV advised his fellow pastors “to do their research, get the knowledge and stop misinforming and improperly educating people on guesswork, instincts and mere suppositions.”
He said that he has taken a jab of the vaccine and claimed he was directed by God after he prayed.
Ighodalo said, “It is foolishness to keep having faith that God will protect you from an infection He has made provision for, vaccines that can provide a high percentage of protection.”
Furthermore, the Cleric added, “I have taken the jab. I prayed about it, and I got a clear direction from God to go and receive it, and I have explained to my people in church that God provides knowledge. I will like to appeal to my brother pastors to do their research, get the knowledge and stop misinforming and improperly educating people on guesswork, instincts and mere suppositions. Coronavirus is real, and you need the vaccination.
“The Bible says my people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.”
He said that there is a need to correct the wrong notion that people have about the vaccine by showing them that it doesn’t tally with science.
“Some people think the COVID-19 vaccine is a deliberate effort to wipe out the human population
“We need to address the fears and prove it is not so. Other persons think it is the sign of the anti-christ (666) and we need to prove this is not also true.
“Other people believe the vaccines have long term effect and if you take it today, in 20 years’ time, it would affect them. We also need to address such fears and prove scientifically this is not so,” he said.
“The problem is a lot of these questions about the vaccine are not being properly addressed and there is too much rumour flying all over the place. Some churches believe in divine health but if they study further, they would also know that God provided knowledge for healing,” Ighodalo added.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said Tuesday he tested positive for coronavirus amid a fresh spike in cases in the Caucasus nation despite the start of a vaccine rollout.
“I am feeling well,”
Garibashvili, 38, said on Facebook. “I am in self-isolation and continuing to
work remotely.”
On Tuesday, Georgia registered
897 new coronavirus cases — three times the average number of daily infections
recorded over the past months.
Overall, the Black Sea nation
of some four million people has registered more than 275,000 coronavirus cases
and 3,832 deaths, the health ministry said.
In mid-March, Georgia began a national vaccination campaign by inoculating medical workers with AstraZeneca’s jab.
In addition to some 43,000
doses of AstraZeneca provided through the Covax vaccine-sharing programme,
Georgia also received enough doses of the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine to inoculate
some 14,000 people.
More than 11,600 people have
been vaccinated so far, director of Georgia’s National Centre for Disease
Control, Amiran Gamkrelidze, told journalists on Monday.
He said the rollout “needs to
be accelerated”.
The authorities in Georgia
have so far ruled out any further anti-virus curbs.
Deputy Health Minister Tamar
Gabunia said on Monday there was “no need at this point” for further
anti-pandemic restrictions.
In May last year, Georgia
lifted its coronavirus lockdown and allowed shops to reopen, but a night-time
curfew has remained in place.