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Resident Doctors Give Nigerian Government Two-Week Welfare Ultimatum

by admin on | 2026-09-29 12:34:31

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Resident Doctors Give Nigerian Government Two-Week Welfare Ultimatum

By Maryam Yahya 

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued a two-week ultimatum to the Nigerian Government over outstanding welfare and healthcare sector concerns, insisting that prompt action is needed to sustain industrial harmony.

The ultimatum, which would take effect from October 1, 2026, was contained in a 19-point communiqué issued at the end of the association's 46th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, southern Nigeria.

The doctors urged the Nigerian Government to "commence the immediate payment of the outstanding professional allowance arrears within two weeks to sustain industrial harmony" and called for the accelerated conclusion and centralisation of collective bargaining agreements.

NARD also demanded the "ratification and payment of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund to all admitted eligible resident doctors", alongside the settlement of outstanding salary and promotion arrears across federal health institutions.

Expressing concern over the shortage of medical personnel, the association called on the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to "seamlessly sustain employment of doctors to address the alarming rates of brain drain and ensure adequate healthcare delivery."

The communiqué further urged state governors to prioritise the welfare of doctors and other health workers by implementing federal welfare policies across state-owned hospitals to guarantee industrial harmony.

On workplace safety, the resident doctors demanded the "full implementation of the Assault on Health Workers Prevention Policy" and called for the upgrade of health facility infrastructure and equipment nationwide "to be in line with global best practices and ensure patient safety."

The association also pressed for improved healthcare funding, resolving to strengthen engagement with the National Assembly to secure adequate budgetary allocation for healthcare and medical residency training in the 2027 fiscal year.

To address excessive workloads, NARD called for the immediate implementation of a work-hour retention policy with a metric clocking system across health institutions and the release of standardised compensation templates for overtime.

The conference, themed "Resident Doctors and the Future of Healthcare in Nigeria: Advancing Welfare, Championing Advocacy, Driving Reforms," also featured discussions on combating workplace violence and strengthening safety in Nigerian hospitals.

The association concluded the communiqué by issuing a "two-week ultimatum effective from 1 October 2026 for these outstanding issues to be resolved to guarantee industrial harmony in the health sector."

Meanwhile, the AGM climaxed with the election and inauguration of new officers as Dr Ogar Emmanuel Idoko, a senior registrar in the Department of Family Medicine, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital emerged as President.