The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, has declared an industrial dispute with the Federal Government and issued a fresh four-week ultimatum, warning that a nationwide strike may become inevitable if longstanding welfare and professional concerns affecting doctors are not addressed.
The decision was reached at an Extraordinary National Executive Council, NEC, meeting held virtually on Saturday, where the association reviewed developments following the expiration of an earlier 21-day ultimatum issued to the government.
In a communiqué on Sunday and jointly signed by its president, Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleiman, secretary-general, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim, and publicity and social secretary, Dr. Abdulmajid Yahya Ibrahim, NARD accused the Federal Government and several health institutions of failing to honour commitments on the payment of outstanding allowances, salary arrears and the disbursement of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund, MRTF.
The association expressed concern that, despite repeated assurances, the 2026 MRTF has yet to be released, while many House Officers across the country continue to experience delays in salary payments and other entitlements.
It also decried the non-payment of the 25/35 per cent CONMESS salary review arrears and the outstanding 19 months’ Professional Allowance arrears, describing the situation as unacceptable.
“NARD can no longer tolerate the hardship being imposed on doctors through persistent delays in salaries and welfare payments,” the communiqué stated.
The association further condemned alleged moves by the OAUTHC management to reintroduce bench fees for resident doctors in private tertiary health institutions, despite an existing government circular abolishing the practice.
Another issue highlighted by NARD was the refusal of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, management to provide call meals for resident doctors on duty.
The association described the denial of call meals as an anti-welfare practice and warned that hospitals that continue to disregard the entitlement would be held responsible for any industrial unrest arising from the situation.
While expressing dissatisfaction over unresolved welfare issues, NARD acknowledged progress made by the Federal Government in some areas, including efforts to tackle assaults on healthcare workers and the near-completion of reports by ministerial committees investigating workplace violence, excessive workloads, prolonged call hours, casualisation of doctors and abusive locum appointments.
However, it maintained that implementation of agreements reached with the government remains slow and unsatisfactory.
