By Oluwakemi Kindness
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has given the Federal Government until 8:00 a.m. on Monday, August 10, 2026, to implement agreements reached in a previously signed Memorandum of Understanding or face an indefinite nationwide strike.
The warning followed the association’s week-long National Executive Council meeting held from July 26 to 31 in Gombe State.
NARD President, Mohammad Suleiman; Secretary-General, Shuaibu Ibrahim; and Publicity Secretary, Abdulmajid Yahya, signed the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting.
The doctors expressed concern over what they described as the worsening state of Nigeria’s healthcare system.
They cited increasing cases of assaults, harassment and attacks on doctors, poor remuneration, unpaid salary and promotion arrears, deteriorating working conditions and welfare challenges.
NARD also raised concerns over the alleged intimidation and poor treatment of resident doctors at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
Resident Doctors Drop From 25,000 To 12,000
The association warned that Nigeria’s medical workforce is shrinking rapidly.
According to NARD, the country had about 25,000 resident doctors 11 years ago, but the figure has dropped to slightly above 12,000.
About 10,000 of the remaining doctors work in federal health institutions, while roughly 2,000 are employed across state-owned and private health facilities.
NARD said the workforce is grossly inadequate to serve Nigeria’s population of more than 230 million people.
NARD Lists 13 Demands
Among its demands, the association wants the Federal Government to:
* Develop a national protocol to prevent and respond to assaults on healthcare workers and enact legislation criminalising such attacks.
* Resolve the crisis at LUTH and address alleged intimidation of doctors by the Chief Medical Director, Prof. Wasiu Lanre Adeyemo.
* Restore call-duty meals for resident doctors.
* Pay outstanding **25/35% CONMESS upward review arrears** and 19 months of Professional Allowance arrears.
* Pay omitted 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) allowances.
* Settle outstanding salary and promotion arrears across federal health institutions.
* Address excessive workloads, prolonged call-duty hours and the casualisation of doctors.
* Improve welfare conditions for House Officers.
* Urgently rehabilitate and upgrade healthcare facilities and ensure equitable distribution of modern medical equipment nationwide.
NARD said it has repeatedly extended previous ultimatums in good faith but warned that it could no longer tolerate delays.
The association urged the Federal Government to act before the August 10 deadline to avert industrial action and protect Nigeria’s healthcare delivery system.
It warned that failure to substantially address its demands would result in a total, comprehensive and indefinite nationwide strike across public health facilities.
