Resident Doctors Commence 5-Day Strike Over Unpaid Salaries
Resident doctors across Nigeria have launched a five-day warning strike, accusing the Federal Government of failing to meet their welfare needs and address long-standing grievances.
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) explained that the industrial action became unavoidable due to unpaid allowances, backlog of salary arrears, and unresolved welfare issues affecting members nationwide.
In a memo issued Friday morning, NARD Secretary-General, Dr. Oluwasola Odunbaku, confirmed that the strike officially kicked off at 8:00 am. He instructed all chapter leaders to guide their members, stressing that the decision was reached collectively.
“Good morning NEC Members, thank you all for your cooperation and understanding. As stated in our communique, the strike commences at 8:00 am today (Friday). All centre leadership should direct their members accordingly,” Odunbaku wrote.
The doctors said government had been given a fresh deadline to resolve the matter, but with no intervention forthcoming, they were left with no choice but to withdraw services.
According to the association, the authorities’ silence and failure to act show a lack of seriousness in tackling the challenges facing healthcare workers, despite several engagements and promises.
This strike comes after weeks of threats and ultimatums from NARD. Just a day earlier, the association had extended its deadline in hopes of government action, but said its patience finally ran out.
With the strike now in effect, disruptions are expected across public hospitals, with patients likely to face treatment delays or cancellations of scheduled appointments.
NARD emphasized that this is only a warning strike, hinting that a full and indefinite shutdown could follow if government continues to ignore their demands.
The association appealed for public understanding, insisting that better welfare for doctors would ultimately improve healthcare delivery across the country.
Further announcements on the strike’s progress are expected from NARD leadership in the coming days.
