…Give FG August 10 to address welfare issues

 

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has given the Federal Government up to August 10, 2026, to address longstanding welfare and labour issues affecting its members or face a total and comprehensive nationwide industrial strike by resident doctors.

NARD warned that if the government fails to meet its demands, including the payment of outstanding salary arrears, allowances, implementation of agreements, and improved working conditions, its members will down tools from 8:00 a.m. on Monday, August 10, 2026.

In a communique issued after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Gombe State, NARD condemned the persistent assault, harassment and intimidation of doctors across the country, describing the trend as a serious threat to the nation’s fragile healthcare system and called for the establishment of a National Healthcare Workers Assault Prevention and Response Protocol and legislation to criminalise attacks on healthcare workers.

The communiqué jointly signed by NARD President, Dr Mohammad Usman Suleiman; Secretary-General, Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim; and Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr Abdulmajid Yahya Ibrahim emphasized that the welfare of resident doctors and the survival of Nigeria’s healthcare system are not negotiable, adding that the association remained committed to dialogue.

 

NARD commended the Federal Government for disbursing the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) to eligible doctors and demanded immediate payment for those omitted from the exercise.

 

The association called for the settlement of outstanding 25/35 per cent CONMESS arrears, 19 months’ Professional Allowance arrears, salary arrears and promotion arrears owed to doctors in federal health institutions.

NARD decried the delays in salary payments for house officers, unpaid arrears, internship placement difficulties and onboarding bottlenecks, and other welfare challenges affecting house officers and appealed to the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to expedite action on the implementation of recommendations by the ministerial committee on excessive workload, prolonged call duty hours, casualisation of doctors and abuse of locum appointments.

 

The association also stresses the need to address unresolved welfare issues at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), particularly the alleged intimidation of resident doctors and refusal to provide call-duty meals before August 10 or risk triggering industrial action.

 

NARD emphasized the need for increased investment in healthcare, strengthening primary healthcare services, accelerating universal health coverage, recruiting and retaining more healthcare personnel, and rehabilitating public health infrastructure nationwide.