The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has given the Federal Government until 8:00 a.m. on August 10, 2026, to meet its demands or face a total, comprehensive and indefinite nationwide strike that could disrupt healthcare services across public hospitals.
The association said the planned industrial action would take effect if the government failed to implement the terms of an earlier Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) reached with the doctors.
The warning was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the association’s week-long National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Gombe State from July 26 to July 31.
The communiqué was jointly signed by NARD President, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman; Secretary-General, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim; and Publicity Secretary, Dr. Abdulmajid Yahya.
The meeting, hosted by the Association of Resident Doctors in Gombe, brought together delegates from across the country to review the state of Nigeria’s health sector and discuss challenges facing resident doctors.
At a press briefing after the meeting, the association expressed deep concern over what it described as the worsening condition of Nigeria’s healthcare system.
According to NARD, doctors across the country continue to face poor working conditions, unpaid salaries and allowances, attacks while on duty, and inadequate welfare despite repeated engagements with the government.
The association said it had exercised patience by extending earlier deadlines but warned that it would no longer accept delays in implementing agreements reached with the Federal Government.
NARD said unless there was substantial progress before the August 10 deadline, doctors working in public hospitals nationwide would embark on an indefinite strike.
The association listed 13 demands that it wants the government to address urgently.
Among its major concerns is the increasing number of assaults, harassment and violent attacks on doctors while carrying out their duties.
NARD called on the Federal Government to develop a National Healthcare Workers Assault Prevention and Response Protocol and support legislation that would make attacks on healthcare workers a criminal offence.
According to the association, hospitals should be safe places for both patients and medical personnel, adding that repeated attacks on doctors have affected morale and threatened effective healthcare delivery.
The association also raised concerns over what it described as the intimidation and poor treatment of resident doctors at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
It called on the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Wasiu Lanre Adeyemo, to address the issues raised by resident doctors and restore call-duty meals that were previously provided to doctors working long emergency shifts.
NARD further demanded the immediate payment of outstanding salary-related benefits.
These include arrears from the 25 and 35 per cent upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), as well as 19 months of unpaid Professional Allowance arrears.
The doctors also demanded the payment of omitted 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) allowances and outstanding salary and promotion arrears owed to doctors in several federal health institutions.
According to the association, many doctors have continued to work despite months of unpaid entitlements, creating financial hardship and affecting morale within the profession.
NARD also drew attention to the growing workload faced by doctors due to the shortage of medical personnel across the country.
The association said many resident doctors now work excessive call-duty hours because there are not enough doctors to meet the increasing demand for healthcare services.
It also criticised what it described as the casualisation of doctors and called for better welfare packages for House Officers, who are newly qualified medical doctors undergoing compulsory training.
Another major concern raised by the association was the poor state of healthcare infrastructure in many public hospitals.
NARD urged the Federal Government to urgently rehabilitate hospitals, provide modern medical equipment and ensure that healthcare facilities are evenly distributed across the country.
According to the association, improving hospital infrastructure is necessary to reduce pressure on the few functioning facilities and improve access to quality healthcare.
The doctors also painted a troubling picture of the shrinking medical workforce in Nigeria.
According to NARD, the country had about 25,000 resident doctors 11 years ago, but that number has now dropped to just over 12,000.
It said about 10,000 of the remaining resident doctors work in federal health institutions, while only about 2,000 are employed in state-owned and private hospitals.
The association warned that the steady decline in the number of doctors is putting enormous pressure on those still practising in the country.
Nigeria’s population is now estimated at more than 230 million people, meaning the available number of doctors is far below what is required to provide adequate healthcare services.
The shortage has largely been blamed on the increasing migration of Nigerian doctors to countries such as the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Australia and Saudi Arabia in search of better salaries, improved working conditions and career opportunities.
The trend, popularly known as the “Japa” phenomenon, has significantly affected Nigeria’s health sector in recent years.
Medical experts have repeatedly warned that the continued loss of skilled healthcare professionals could weaken the country’s ability to respond to disease outbreaks and provide quality medical care.
Resident doctors play a critical role in Nigeria’s healthcare system. They are qualified medical practitioners undergoing specialist training while providing services in teaching hospitals and federal medical centres.
They are responsible for much of the day-to-day clinical care in public hospitals, especially in emergency units, surgical departments, maternity wards and specialist clinics.
As a result, any nationwide strike by resident doctors is likely to affect thousands of patients seeking treatment in government-owned hospitals.
In previous years, industrial actions by resident doctors have led to delays in surgeries, suspension of outpatient services and disruption of emergency medical care, forcing many patients to seek treatment in private hospitals or postpone medical appointments.
The Federal Government has, on several occasions, promised to improve the welfare of healthcare workers and address challenges facing the sector through increased funding, recruitment of medical personnel and improved infrastructure.
However, medical associations have continued to argue that many agreements reached with the government have not been fully implemented.
NARD said it remains open to dialogue but stressed that discussions must produce concrete results.
The association urged the Federal Government to act quickly to prevent another disruption in the nation’s healthcare system.
It warned that resolving the issues affecting doctors is not only important for industrial harmony but also necessary to protect patients and ensure the survival of Nigeria’s already overstretched healthcare system.
With the August 10 deadline fast approaching, attention will now be on the Federal Government’s response and whether last-minute negotiations can prevent another nationwide strike that could leave millions of Nigerians without access to essential medical services.