By Dennis Okechukwu
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued a final ultimatum to the Federal Government, threatening to embark on a nationwide indefinite strike from August 10 if its longstanding demands are not met.
The association said the industrial action would begin at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, August 10, should the government fail to implement the terms of an earlier Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reached with the doctors.
The decision was announced in a communiqué issued at the end of NARD’s week-long National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Gombe State from July 26 to July 31. The communiqué was signed by the association’s President, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman, Secretary-General, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim, and Publicity Secretary, Dr. Abdulmajid Yahya.
During the meeting, delegates expressed concern over what they described as the worsening state of Nigeria’s healthcare system, citing repeated attacks on doctors, poor remuneration, unpaid salary and promotion arrears, deteriorating working conditions, and the alleged intimidation of resident doctors at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
The association also lamented the continued exodus of medical professionals, noting that the number of resident doctors in the country has dropped from about 25,000 eleven years ago to just over 12,000, despite Nigeria’s population exceeding 230 million. It added that about 10,000 of the remaining doctors work in federal health institutions, while roughly 2,000 are employed in state-owned and private facilities.
NARD outlined a 13-point demand for the Federal Government, including the enactment of laws to protect healthcare workers from assaults, immediate payment of outstanding CONMESS salary adjustment arrears, professional allowance arrears, residency training fund allowances, and other outstanding salaries and promotions.
The association also called for urgent intervention in the crisis at LUTH, restoration of call-duty meals, improved welfare for house officers, reduction of excessive workloads, and rehabilitation and equitable distribution of healthcare infrastructure and modern medical equipment across the country.
NARD said it had repeatedly extended previous ultimatums in good faith but warned that it would no longer tolerate delays in addressing the welfare and safety of its members.
The association urged the Federal Government to take immediate steps to resolve the issues before the August 10 deadline to avert a nationwide disruption of healthcare services.