The Nigerian Association of Residents Doctors (NARD) says it would embark on total, comprehensive and indefinite strike from 12 am midnight of Monday 12th january, 2026 following the failure of the federal government through the federal ministry of health and social welfare to meet its demands.
Also, the association chapter at the Federal Medical Center (FMC) Nguru said it would immediately comply with the directive of the national body, as medical doctors work under intense debts as a result of non payments of arrears and entitlements from their employers (the federal government of Nigeria).
Dr. Muhammad Suleiman Usman and Dr. Shu’aibu Ibrahim, the president and national secretary respectively disclosed this at a communique issued after the body’s extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held on 2nd January, 2026 virtually, the copy of which was sent to GLOBAL TRACKER on Thursday.
The communique said some of the demands include; the NARD NEC rejects the decision of the ministry to redeploy the five (5) disengaged Resident Doctors of the Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH), Lokoja, to another Federal Teaching
Hospital, and demands their immediate and unconditional reinstatement in
FTH Lokoja in line with the recommendations of the duly constituted committee. The NEC demands the immediate transmission of the compiled promotion arrears owed to resident doctors across several institutions to the Budget Office and the Federal Ministry of Finance for prompt processing and payment.
It said doctors also demands the immediate transmission of the compiled salary arrears owed to resident doctors in affected institutions to the Budget Office and the Federal Ministry of Finance for urgent processing and payment, the NEC demands the full implementation of the approved Professional Allowance Table (PAT), including the payment of all accrued arrears, and insists that these arrears be comprehensively captured and funded in the 2026 National Budget, the group further demands that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare issue, without further delay, an official clarification and directive on skipping and entry-level placement to all Chief Executives of health institutions with
attention of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).
Other demands according to the communique include the immediate implementation and payment of the
Specialist Allowance to eligible colleagues, in compliance with the directive issued by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, the immediate settlement of all outstanding House Officers’ salary arrears, prompt salary payment, and insists on the issuance of a formal pay advisory to House Officers as earlier promised by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and the immediate reversal of the re-categorisation of membership certificates by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and the prompt issuance of certificates after Part I examinations by the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN) among others.
The union also directed its members to immediately comply with the national body directives in shutting down all health facilities across the country.
Meanwhile, Union’s federal medical center, Nguru chapter has assured members of the public that it would immediately comply with the national directives on the said strike.
Dr. Muhammad Ahmad Shu’aib and Dr. Umar Jafar Yakub, chairman and secretary of the chapter respectively stated this also in a statement sent to GLOBAL TRACKER on Thursday.
The two leaders in a letter signed and sent to the medical director of the facility said they will comply with the national directive as at when due.
The group regrets any inconvenience their actions might have caused.