The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued a fresh 30-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to address unresolved welfare concerns and policy gaps affecting its members, warning that failure to act could trigger another round of industrial action across the country’s hospitals.
The ultimatum was contained in a communiqué released on Sunday at the end of the association’s 45th Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Scientific Conference, which was held in Katsina State from September 21 to 26.
The document was jointly signed by NARD President, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman; Secretary-General, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim; and Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr. Abdulmajid Ibrahim.
According to the communiqué, NARD’s demands include immediate payment of outstanding salary arrears, settlement of corrected professional allowances, and the release of accumulated promotion entitlements.
The doctors also called for full implementation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, reinstatement of five colleagues dismissed at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, and payment of arrears from the 25/35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) review, alongside the 2024 accoutrement allowance.
The association decried what it described as “unsafe and excessive” call-duty schedules, directing members to desist from working beyond 24 consecutive hours effective October 1, 2025.
It urged the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to establish clear regulations on doctors’ working hours in line with global best practices.
NARD further expressed grave concern over worsening brain drain in the medical sector, poor infrastructure in government hospitals, and the casualisation of medical professionals.
It demanded inclusion of house officers in the Civil Service Scheme, prompt salary payments, implementation of specialist allowances, and decentralisation of promotion and training processes.
The communiqué also rejected attempts to create consultant cadres for non-medical doctors, while condemning the downgrading of postgraduate membership recognition.
It specifically called on the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to restore recognition of West African postgraduate membership certificates, and urged the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria to expedite issuance of membership certificates to qualified candidates.
At the state level, NARD urged Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to urgently address the welfare concerns of resident doctors at the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomosho.
The AGM, themed “Mitigating Health Worker Migration through Extra-Remuneration Incentives: A Strategy for Sustainable Development”, also marked a change of leadership, with Dr. Suleiman formally succeeding Dr. Tope Osundara as President of the association.
NARD pledged to intensify its lobbying of the National Assembly to ensure adequate budgetary allocation for the health sector in the 2026 Appropriation Act.
However, the doctors stressed that if the Federal Government fails to meet their demands within the 30-day timeline, the association would have no choice but to reconsider nationwide industrial action.
