NARD declares industrial dispute, gives FG four weeks to avert doctors’ strike

Resident doctors in Nigeria are on the brink of a nationwide strike, having declared an industrial dispute with the Federal Government. The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) issued a fresh four-week ultimatum, warning that a strike is inevitable if long-standing welfare and professional concerns remain unaddressed.

The decision follows an Extraordinary National Executive Council meeting where NARD reviewed the government's response to a previous 21-day ultimatum. In a communiqué, the association accused the government and several health institutions of failing to honor commitments regarding outstanding allowances, salary arrears, and the disbursement of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF). NARD highlighted the continued delays in salary payments for house officers and the non-payment of salary review arrears and professional allowances as unacceptable.

Further exacerbating the situation, NARD condemned alleged victimisation of its members at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC) in Ile-Ife. The association warned against any attempts to intimidate or harass its members and opposed the OAUTHC management's alleged move to reintroduce bench fees for resident doctors in private tertiary health institutions. Additionally, the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) management's refusal to provide call meals for resident doctors on duty was described as an anti-welfare practice.

While expressing deep dissatisfaction, NARD acknowledged some progress, including government efforts to address assaults on healthcare workers and the near-completion of ministerial committee reports on workplace violence and excessive workloads. The association also commended state governments and private institutions for implementing welfare measures. However, these acknowledgments do not diminish the urgency of the core demands, pushing the nation's healthcare system towards a potential crisis.

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NARD can no longer tolerate the hardship being imposed on doctors through persistent delays in salaries and welfare payments.