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As the nationwide strike by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) entered its tenth day, the association’s president, Muhammad Suleiman, said the industrial action will continue until concrete agreements are reached and implemented by the federal government.
Mr Suleiman, who spoke to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday morning, said that while discussions with the government are ongoing, “just talking” without signed agreements or visible action does not amount to progress.
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“You can only resolve things after you have agreed and after you have put it on paper or put it into action,” he said.
“Just talking about them merely does not solve the problem. We are talking, but agreements have not been reached on what to do, and then even on the items that have been agreed, actions have not been taken.”
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Unpaid arrears
Mr Suleiman faulted government’s claim that billions had been released to offset arrears owed to doctors, saying that most members are yet to receive payment.
“The federal government said it released N41.3 billion to pay 25/35 per cent arrears. They released the money, but not more than 60 per cent of our members have gotten alerts, and alerts have stopped dropping,” he said.
He also stated that another N2.9 billion, intended to be released alongside other outstanding allowances, had not been paid as promised.
“That money was to be released last Monday, but it has still not been released up till now,” he said. “The federal government is even saying it’s N11.9 billion, which we never had any conversation about. People have not been seeing those alerts. I don’t know, is it another ‘audio alert’?”
Mr Suleiman added that the strike remains indefinite, adding that “until we agree on these issues” and actions are taken, the industrial action will continue.
“Yes, they have been promising us some of these things for two, three, even five years, and they have still not done them,” he said.
Government’s position
Earlier, the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare said it had approved the release of N11.995 billion within 72 hours to pay outstanding arrears and allowances owed to doctors and other health workers.
It also said N10 billion had been paid in August as part of the seven months’ arrears for the 25 to 35 per cent upward review of the Consolidated Medical and Health Salary Structures (CONMESS and CONHESS), while N10.6 billion was disbursed for the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund.
The ministry further announced special waivers for the “massive recruitment” of healthcare professionals across federal tertiary institutions to address staff shortages caused by brain drain.
Despite these assurances, resident doctors insist that the government’s announcements “do not reflect reality,” saying the promised payments have not reached most members.
Strike grounds hospital services
Visits by PREMIUM TIMES reporters to major hospitals in Lagos, Abuja, and Kaduna last week showed that many facilities are running skeletal services.
In Lagos, several wards at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) were deserted, with only nurses attending to admitted patients. New admissions had stopped, and most outpatient units were closed.
At the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, and the National Hospital in Abuja, only emergency and antenatal units operated with limited staff.
A similar situation was observed at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH), Zaria, where consultants handled only a few minor cases while most wards remained closed.
Unmet demands
The strike, which began on 1 November, stems from years of unmet demands, including unpaid arrears from salary adjustments, accoutrements and hazard allowances, delayed promotions, and poor working conditions.
READ ALSO: Patients bear brunt as resident doctors’ strike enters fourth day
Mr Suleiman said that NARD’s demands are not only about money but about dignity and respect for agreements.
“We want actions taken,” he said. “Our struggle transcends money. It is about dignity, safety, and survival.”
The NARD president expressed hope that an agreement could be reached soon, but insisted that until the government demonstrates sincerity through action, the strike will continue indefinitely.
“Whether we’ll agree this week, I don’t know,” he said. “I hope so. But for now, it is still indefinite. That’s the mandate from our NEC.”
