THE National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has announced the suspension of its planned nationwide strike following renewed negotiations with the Federal Government over key welfare issues affecting its members.
The decision was reached today during an emergency meeting of the association’s National Executive Council, where members considered fresh commitments from government officials, including assurances on the payment of outstanding allowances and improvements in working conditions for doctors.
In a communiqué issued after the meeting, the association said it was halting the previously declared indefinite strike as a gesture of goodwill, citing ongoing high-level interventions and noticeable progress in discussions.
According to NARD, the government has shown a “renewed willingness” to address longstanding concerns, particularly regarding salary arrears, hazard allowances, and the Medical Residency Training Fund.
Despite suspending the strike, the association made it clear that the dispute has not been fully resolved.
It issued a two-week ultimatum to the government to take concrete, measurable, and verifiable steps toward meeting its demands.
These include the immediate reinstatement of the reviewed Professional Allowance Table, payment of all outstanding promotion and salary arrears, prompt release of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund, and settlement of 19 months’ unpaid professional allowance arrears.
NARD warned that it would reconvene at the end of the ultimatum period to assess the government’s level of compliance and determine its next course of action.
It added that failure to meet the demands within the stipulated timeframe could trigger the resumption of the suspended indefinite strike without further notice.
The recurring standoff between resident doctors and the Federal Government has been driven by issues such as delayed salaries, inadequate hazard allowances, and poor healthcare infrastructure.
These challenges have continued to fuel the migration of Nigerian doctors abroad in search of better opportunities.
