Resident Doctors Mull Nationwide Strike As Ultimatum To Federal GGovernment Expires

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) volition this Wednesday determine whether to embark connected a nationwide onslaught arsenic its ultimatum to the Federal Government implicit outstanding demands expires.

NARD, which had earlier issued a 10-day ultimatum to applicable authorities agencies, warned that members would retreat their services if urgent issues affecting their payment were not addressed. The determination comes astatine a clip erstwhile Nigeria’s fragile nationalist wellness assemblage was already strained by a shortage of doctors, inadequate infrastructure, and overcrowded hospitals.

LEADERSHIP reports that successful a communiqué issued connected September 1, 2025, and signed by NARD President, Dr. Tope Osundara; General Secretary, Dr. Oluwasola Odunbaku; and Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr. Omoha Amobi, the relation listed its demands. These see the contiguous outgo of the outstanding 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund, colony of 5 months’ arrears from the 25–35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure review, and different long-standing wage backlogs.

The doctors besides demanded outgo of the 2024 accoutrement allowance arrears, punctual disbursement of specializer allowances, and restoration of designation of the West African postgraduate rank certificates. In addition, they called connected the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria to contented rank certificates to each qualified candidates, instrumentality the 2024 CONMESS, resoluteness outstanding payment issues successful Kaduna State, and code the plight of nonmigratory doctors astatine LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.

Speaking with The PUNCH connected Tuesday, Dr. Osundara said the result of Wednesday’s National Executive Council (NEC) gathering would beryllium pivotal.

“We are holding our NEC gathering time (today), and the result volition find our adjacent enactment of action. At the meeting, we volition reappraisal whether the authorities has made immoderate meaningful advancement connected addressing our demands. If determination is simply a affirmative response, it volition usher our decision, but if not, the assembly volition instrumentality a steadfast stance connected the adjacent steps, including the anticipation of concern action,” helium said.

NARD’s First Vice-President, Dr. Tajudeen Abdulrauf, besides confirmed that the NEC would measure the situation.

“The result of the gathering volition beryllium connected the government’s effect to our demands. If they are not addressed, we cannot warrant concern harmony, and a onslaught remains likely. Remember, we gave a three-week ultimatum successful July and extended it. In the tone of dialogue, the NEC mandated the National Officers’ Committee to prosecute stakeholders for different 3 weeks, yet thing has been done. When we conscionable tomorrow, we volition reappraisal the government’s effect and determine connected the adjacent enactment of action,” Abdulrauf stated.

Observers pass that different onslaught could paralyze healthcare transportation crossed the country, forcing patients to question costly backstage attraction and worsening already dire wellness outcomes.