Resident doctors list seven conditions to end strike

The President of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr. Mohammad Suleiman, says the National Executive Council has listed the key conditions the Federal Government must meet before the ongoing indefinite strike can be suspended.

Suleiman explained that the association has reduced its demands to seven major issues that need urgent attention. He spoke in an interview with Punch.

According to him, NARD held three conciliation meetings with the government where 19 items were discussed and agreed upon. However, he said the government has failed to implement any of the agreements except the partial payment of the 25–35 per cent allowance.

Health services across the country have been crippled since November 1, 2025, when about 11,000 resident doctors in 91 teaching hospitals began an indefinite strike over poor working conditions and unpaid allowances.

The situation worsened on November 15 when the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) also embarked on an indefinite strike, raising fresh concerns about patient safety and the overall stability of the health sector.

Suleiman said, “We had three conciliation meetings. We agreed on all 19 items, and everyone agreed they needed to be addressed. Timelines were also set.”

He said NARD’s NEC is now focused on seven key demands. These include the reinstatement of Lokoja doctors, release of the Professional Allowance Table, payment of promotion arrears, settlement of salary arrears in some hospitals, implementation of upgrades for doctors who passed Part I exams, implementation of specialist allowance, and resolution of the Membership Certificate problem.

“NEC said once the government meets these conditions, we will reconvene and suspend the strike. That is our position,” he said.

Suleiman noted that timelines were agreed on during the last negotiation, especially for compiling promotion arrears, salary arrears in affected hospitals, issuing a letter to the Accountant-General on upgrade matters, and getting a response from the Head of Service on the downgraded entry level for doctors.

He added that one week after the agreed deadline, none of these actions has been taken.

“The compilations have not been forwarded to the Minister of Finance or the Budget Office. The Head of Service has not clarified the entry point issue. We still don’t have the Professional Allowance Table. Even the extra two weeks given for some items has expired without progress.

“The Lokoja issue, which we agreed should be resolved by November 6, also expired yesterday. The report hasn’t been submitted. No demand has been fully met except the 25–35 per cent allowance, and even that is incomplete. Forty per cent of our members have not received it.

“We also agreed that IPPIS would release the remittance payment report last Friday. This is another Friday and we still don’t have it. The accoutrement allowance list for those on GIFMIS was compiled, but the process has been problematic, with cases of double payment,” he said.