Posted on: Tue 04-11-2025

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has faulted the Federal Government’s recent statement on doctors’ welfare, describing it as misleading and inconsistent with the realities confronting medical professionals across the country.

 

In a detailed rejoinder issued on Monday, the association said the statement titled “FG Reaffirms Commitment to Doctors’ Welfare and Industrial Harmony in the Health Sector” by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare presented “an optimistic narrative” that failed to reflect the actual situation in Nigeria’s healthcare system.

 

“We do not intend to join issues with the Ministry, but for the sake of transparency, truth, and the health of Nigerians, it is imperative to set the records straight, particularly for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who may have been misinformed about the true nature of our grievances,” NARD said.

 

According to the association, its 19 outstanding demands are neither new nor excessive, but represent “minimum requirements for a sustainable healthcare system and for restoring dignity to medical practice in Nigeria.”

 

NARD dismissed the government’s claims of releasing over N30 billion to offset arrears owed to health workers, stating that doctors had received only a small portion of the funds. The association listed several unsettled entitlements — including the 25 percent -35 percent CONMESS review, accoutrement allowance, promotion and upgrade arrears, and salary backlogs — some of which it said had lingered for over five years.

 

It acknowledged that partial payments of CONMESS arrears were made before the commencement of its ongoing Total, Indefinite, and Comprehensive Strike (Operation TICS), but maintained that “many resident doctors have yet to receive the full payment of these accrued arrears.”

 

The group decried what it described as “unacceptable bureaucratic delays” in promotions and upgrades, adding that some medical officers had been denied their entitlements for years. “The frequent excuse of ‘IPPIS-related issues’ is untenable,” it said, urging the Federal Government to consider alternative payroll systems if the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) continues to fail.

 

Citing fresh salary discrepancies ranging from N50,000 to N100,000 in the October 2025 payroll cycle, NARD called for the creation of a specialised health-sector payroll platform to ensure “accurate, timely, and transparent payments.”

 

The doctors’ body also challenged the ministry’s claim that 20,000 health workers were recruited in 2024 and another 15,000 in 2025, demanding detailed data on how many were doctors and their specific postings.

 

“Nigeria’s active pool of resident doctors has dropped from 15,000–16,000 a decade ago to barely 9,000–10,000 today,” the statement read. “What we need is retention, not rhetoric.”

 

While confirming the release of N10.6 billion for the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), the association stressed that the fund “is a statutory right, not a privilege,” and urged timely and transparent disbursement in line with inflationary realities.

 

NARD commended the reinstatement of three out of five doctors dismissed from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, but condemned the continued delay in reinstating the remaining two, warning that “selective justice only deepens mistrust and prolongs industrial action.”

 

The group further urged the government to ensure that the ongoing collective bargaining process produces concrete outcomes, cautioning against “another endless committee without deliverables.” It insisted that all agreements should be implemented before the 2026 budget is passed.

 

The association also criticised the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) over its re-categorisation of certificates from the West African Postgraduate Medical Colleges, saying the decision undermines regional training standards and demoralises resident doctors. It demanded the reversal of the policy and inclusion of resident doctors as beneficiaries of the Specialist Allowance.

 

NARD further called for the release of the professional allowance table reflecting adjustments to the new N70,000 minimum wage and correction of discrepancies dating back to 2019.

 

“Our struggle transcends money. It is about dignity, safety, and survival,” the association stated. “Nigerian doctors work in hazardous environments, often collapsing from exhaustion without recognition or compensation. The ongoing Japa syndrome is not greed-driven but survival-driven.”

 

The association also demanded pension reforms that reflect the peculiar risks and sacrifices associated with medical practice.

 

Reaffirming its willingness to engage in genuine dialogue, NARD said the ongoing strike is not a protest against Nigerians but a fight for the survival of the nation’s healthcare system.

 

“Industrial peace cannot be achieved through press statements but through justice, sincerity, and respect for agreements,” it added.

 

The statement was signed by Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleiman (President), Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim (Secretary General), and Dr. Abdulmajid Yahya Ibrahim (Publicity and Social Secretary).

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