As Doctors across the country embark on a nationwide strike for non-payment of wages, over 150 members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) in Bauchi State have joined their colleagues.

The Doctors who are staff of ATBUTH, Bauchi and Federal Medical Centre in Azare were seen sitting in groups at the two hospitals in compliance with the directives of the national body.

The Branch Chairman of NARD in Bauchi, Dr Mohammed Nur Algazali, said the branch has no option but to join the strike as the struggle is for the benefit of all health workers.

“The situation is pathetic and unfortunate, but, we just have to embark on the strike action to press home our demands. Yes, we are complying with the directive of our national body for a total indefinite nationwide strike and all centres are to comply based on what is contained in the communique”

“All Teaching Hospitals and Federal Medical Centers in Nigeria have fully complied. We too in Bauchi, have complied. About 150 of our members have withdrawn their services. Some members have worked for more than three months without receiving a dime, we are working tirelessly yet nothing to show for the hard work”

“Here in Bauchi, we lost some of our members while fighting Lassa fever, I was a victim too, it was the grace of God that kept me alive till today and yet we are not treated well the way it should be. Many of those on Housemanship were not paid for several months and you know that they need the money to keep themselves”

“We have to be contributing money to ensure that they have something to keep soul and body together. What we give them is something very meagre, that is the reason for the action we took. The government is not sincere because this agreement was entered into in 2017 and yet no attempt has been made to work with it. If it is implemented, it will be for the good of the entire health workers in the country,” he said.