Anambra Residents Doctors Suspend Strike as Soludo Approves New Salary Package, Training Funds

By Our Reporter

The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) has suspended the ongoing day warning strike it embarked upon on Sept. 11 and directed members to return to their duty effective 8am Saturday.

This was contained in a Communique was signed by Dr Joy Okwumuo and Dr Chukwubuike Ifekudu President and
Secretary respectively of ARD-COOUTH and made available in Awka on Saturday.

ARD-COOUTH said the decision to suspend the strike followed the approval for release of the Medical Residency Training Fund and 100 percent upward review of Consolidated Medical Salary Scale by Gov. Chukwuma Soludo by the end of September.

The Doctors said Soludo also approved allowances for house officers, rural posting for previously skipped departments, accoutrement and specialist allowances from CONMESS 5 step 5 for resident doctors with accumulated arrears including the previously skipped approved 2024 hazard allowance arrears

ARD-COOUTH said in view of the above and after a series of meetings with stakeholders including the Anambra government, Hospital management and Nigeria Medical Association leadership in the state it decided to return to work.

“His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Anambra State, has approved the immediate implementation of 100% upward reviewed CONMESS Salary structure.

“The Executive Governor also has approved the immediate implementation and payment of 100 percent 2025 MRTF(Medical Residency training fund) for resident doctors in COOUTH.

“ARD-COOUTH hereby suspends the ongoing one-week warning strike and directs all members to resume full clinical duties from 8:00 a.m on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025.

“ARD COOUTH shall continue to liaise with the hospital Chief Medical Director to ensure implementation of the above stipulated approvals,” it said.

ARD-COOUTH said it shall also continue to advocate for immediate recruitment of resident doctors including house officers to meet the recommended approved number by medical colleges in each department to close the brain drain gap.

It also reiterated the call for accreditation of Family Medicine, Radiology, and Anaesthesiology departments to enable members register for their eligible professional examinations as well as payment of all approved arrears of to ARD-COOUTH.

The Resident Doctors sent their appreciations to Soludo for his timely response and to the Head of Service, the Commissioner for Health, COOUTH management, NMA and NARD leadership for their kind interventions.

“We deeply appreciate members of ARD-COOUTH, whose loyalty, resilience, and collective strength have brought us this far and encourage us to move forward with renewed dedication, and commitment towards the welfare of our patients,” it said.