By Nancy Okojie,
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its five-day warning strike just two days after it began. The decision was made following a commitment from the Federal Government to address some of the doctors’ key demands, including the commencement of the payment of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund.
Reasons for the Strike Suspension
According to NARD’s President, Dr. Tope Osundara, spoke The LeadWay via a phone conversation that one of the reasons for the suspension of the strike was as a result of some of their demands have been met by the government. The most significant of these is the start of payments for the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), a crucial allowance for their training.
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Secondly she stated that the suspension was a “sign of goodwill” to assist Nigerians seeking healthcare in public hospitals, which were heavily impacted by the strike.
Despite suspending the strike, NARD has given the Federal Government a fresh two-week ultimatum to fulfill the remaining outstanding demands.
Key Demands of the Doctors
The strike was initiated after a series of ultimatums to the government went unanswered. The doctors’ demands included:
- Immediate payment of the outstanding 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund.
- Settlement of five months of arrears from the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) review.
- Payment of outstanding 2024 accoutrement allowance arrears.
- Prompt disbursement of specialist allowances.
- Restoration of the recognition of the West African postgraduate membership certificates.
Impact of the Strike
The two-day strike crippled medical services in many federal and state-owned hospitals across Nigeria. Hospitals were left with limited staff, as consultants and other health workers struggled to manage heavy patient loads. This led to long queues, extended waiting times, and in many cases, patients being denied admission or treatment. The strike highlighted the recurring issues of poor welfare, unpaid salaries, and inadequate working conditions that continue to plague Nigeria’s healthcare sector and contribute to the “brain drain” of medical professionals leaving the country.
