ABUJA – The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has declared that its members will not resume duties until all 19 of their outstanding demands are fully met by the Federal Government.
NARD President, Dr. Muhammad Suleiman, told newsmen in Abuja on Monday that none of the issues that led to the nationwide strike had received adequate attention.
Resident doctors began an indefinite strike on November 1 after the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum issued to the government to address long-standing welfare concerns.
Suleiman was reacting to a statement from the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, signed by Mr. Alaba Balogun, which announced plans to release ₦11.9 billion for arrears and welfare packages for doctors.
The ministry said it was working with the Ministry of Finance to process ₦21.3 billion transferred to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) account for health workers, out of which ₦11.9 billion and ₦10.6 billion were earmarked for payments.
It also stated that efforts were ongoing to address workforce shortages by employing more healthcare professionals and engaging with unions, including NARD, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), and the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU).
However, Suleiman said the association was unaware of any such release, describing the government’s performance as “one or two out of 19 demands met, a very poor score.”
He insisted that the strike would continue until all 19 demands were fully implemented, warning that resident doctors would not be swayed by partial promises or unverified claims.
