The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has postponed its scheduled strike in response to what it described as specific promises and deadlines from the Federal Government on the execution of long-standing agreements affecting its members.
NARD President Dr. Mohammed Suleiman stated on AIT’s Morning Show, Kakaaki, on Monday that the decision came after a demanding week of engagements with the National Assembly, the Budget Office, the Ministries of Labor, Health, and Finance, and the Vice President.
He said, “We had a series of engagements on Tuesday. The Minister of Labor called us for a conciliation meeting together with the Minister of Health. On Wednesday, we visited the Minister of Health. We sat down and itemized all the issues. On Thursday, the Minister of State for Health re-invited us, and we had further conversations,” Suleiman said.
He disclosed that key grievances, including the case of doctors allegedly unjustly disengaged in Lokoja, had been resolved. “With respect to our members who were unjustly terminated in Lokoja, it has been finalized that they are returning. On the issue of our professional allowance table, which has been corrected,” he said.
Suleiman added that assurances had also come from the National Assembly that several outstanding financial obligations would be captured in the 2026 budget. “We have received assurances, even from the National Assembly, which were part and parcel of these engagements, that these will be captured in the 2026 budget. The Director-General of the Budget Office has also assured us that they have been able to capture it,” he said.
According to him, the Ministry of Health has formally written to the Office of the Accountant-General to ensure immediate implementation. “The Ministry of Health has communicated in writing officially to the Office of the Accountant-General that this should be implemented this month, this January,” he said.
On concerns over excessive workload and appointment policies, Suleiman said a joint committee had been constituted. “With respect to the committees to look at Lokoja appointment policies and excess workload, doctors working endlessly, taking calls in and out, the committee has been set up, and we are fully represented. Meetings are about to start,” he noted.
He also said progress had been made on residency training and certification challenges. “On our membership certificate, we have sat down and looked at the issues. The Medical and Dental Council, the National Postgraduate Medical College and NARD will sit down. That committee has also been constituted to resolve the issue,” he said.
Suleiman disclosed that arrears linked to delayed promotions and salary shortfalls across several teaching hospitals had been forwarded for payment. “Medical officers have been promoted year in, year out without promotion arrears going back to 2020. That compilation has been transmitted to finance, and we have engaged the Minister of State for Finance, who assured us it will receive the necessary attention,” he said.
He listed affected institutions to include “UUTH, UUI, FMCO, OAUTHC, LAUTECH Teaching Hospital and the University of Health Sciences Teaching Hospital,” noting that some doctors were owed between four and 20 months. “These have been captured and forwarded to the DG Budget and the Minister of Finance. We are in conversations that these issues will receive the necessary attention as soon as possible,” he said.
On the controversial 40, 25 and 35 per cent arrears affecting thousands of doctors, Suleiman said payments were imminent. “Almost 3,000 of our members are to receive these arrears. The Minister of Labor has written to the Minister of Finance and the Accountant-General, calling the attention of IPPIS to ensure that since the money is available and everything has been cross-checked, these monies are paid within the next one or two weeks,” he said.
Suleiman said the intervention of Vice President Kashim Shettima was pivotal. “The number two citizen of the country invited us, all these issues were x-rayed, and he took it upon himself to ensure that all relevant agencies are brought into the conversation so these items are implemented to the satisfaction of our members,” he said.
Explaining what changed between earlier skepticism and the eventual suspension of the strike, Suleiman said sustained engagement made the difference. “From the time we set out to agitate, no one ever said our demands were illegitimate or that we were asking for too much. These are old agreements,” he said. “The seriousness with which Nigerians came to our aid and the seriousness with which the media took up the matter sent the right message.”
He warned, however, that patience was conditional. “It is now left for us to see that government follows its words with action over the next one or two weeks. Some actions are already taking place, and we have follow-ups today, tomorrow and hopefully Wednesday,” he said.
Citing widespread doctor migration, Suleiman painted a bleak picture of the health system beyond the immediate accords. “We only create between 2,000 and 3,000 doctors annually, but we lost nearly 4,700 doctors in 2024 alone. We will probably lose more than 10,000 doctors in the next ten years,” he stated.
He identified poor infrastructure and power supply as major constraints. “A federal teaching hospital can have electricity bills of ₦60 million to ₦100 million monthly. It is not sustainable. Emergencies are sometimes planned around when generators are on, and that affects patient care,” he said.
Suleiman also decried excessive working hours. “An average resident doctor works about 106 hours a week; some do up to 120 hours — over 450 hours a month. This is not compatible with decent human life,” he said, comparing it with the UK’s 48-hour weekly cap.
While expressing optimism, he cautioned that the union would review the situation if commitments were not met. “If we don’t see movement in the right direction in the next few weeks, the National Executive Council will reassess the situation,” he said.
Suleiman thanked the media for amplifying doctors’ concerns. “Nigerians need to appreciate the work you do in bringing these issues to the forefront so solutions can be found,” he added.
