The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has faulted the recent statement by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, titled “FG Reaffirms Commitment to Doctors’ Welfare and Industrial Harmony in the Health Sector”, describing it as misleading and inconsistent with realities faced by doctors nationwide.
In a detailed rejoinder issued on Monday, NARD accused the ministry of presenting an “optimistic narrative” that does not reflect the true situation in Nigeria’s health sector.
According to NARD, the union has 19 outstanding demands that have repeatedly been presented to the Federal Government, describing them as “neither new nor unreasonable” but as “minimum requirements for a sustainable healthcare system and for restoring dignity to medical practice in Nigeria.”
NARD said despite government claims of releasing over ₦30 billion to offset arrears owed to health workers, doctors have received only a small fraction. The association listed numerous unpaid allowances and arrears, including the 25%/35% CONMESS review, accoutrement allowance, promotion arrears, upgrade arrears, and salary backlogs, some of which have remained unsettled for over five years.
While acknowledging partial payments of CONMESS arrears just before the association’s Total, Indefinite, and Comprehensive Strike (Operation TICS), NARD noted that “many resident doctors have yet to receive the full payment of these accrued arrears.”
The group condemned what it called “unacceptable bureaucratic delays” in promotions and upgrades, adding that many medical officers have waited over five years for their legitimate entitlements.
NARD decried persistent salary shortfalls, ranging from ₦50,000 to ₦100,000 in the October 2025 payroll cycle, and demanded the creation of a specialised health-sector payroll platform “that ensures accurate, timely, and transparent payments.”
The association challenged the government’s claim of recruiting 20,000 health workers in 2024 and another 15,000 in 2025, demanding disaggregated data on how many of them are doctors and where they are posted.
The association also cautioned that while it welcomes the appointment of a professional negotiator to mediate collective bargaining, the process “must not become another endless committee without deliverables”, urging that all agreements be implemented before the 2026 budget approval.
NARD criticised the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) for its re-categorisation of certificates from the West African Postgraduate Medical Colleges, saying the move has demoralised resident doctors and undermined regional training standards.
It demanded the reversal of the policy and the inclusion of resident doctors among beneficiaries of the Specialist Allowance, which it described as a matter of fairness and recognition of service.
The association further called for the release of the professional allowance table, which it said should reflect adjustments linked to the new N70,000 minimum wage and correct long-standing discrepancies dating back to 2019.
NARD urged the Federal Government to address these urgently to restore industrial harmony.
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