Resident doctors in public hospitals across Nigeria have begun an indefinite nationwide strike to demand improved welfare, better working conditions, and a stronger healthcare system.
The strike, which commenced on Saturday, 1 November, was declared by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) following the Federal Government’s failure to meet long-standing demands despite several meetings and the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum.
NARD is demanding a 200 per cent increase in the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), full implementation of allowances approved since July 2022, and the immediate recruitment of clinical staff to fill existing vacancies. The association also called for the removal of bureaucratic delays in replacing doctors who have left the system.
In Ibadan, the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at the University College Hospital (UCH) confirmed full compliance with the directive. Its President, Dr. Gboyega Ajibola, told journalists that doctors had stopped work at midnight in solidarity with the national body.
“At 12 midnight today, we fully complied with the directive. If you enter UCH now, you will see that our members are not working as directed by NARD. The strike is total and comprehensive; no emergency corridor is open,” he said.
Dr. Ajibola warned that the strike would severely affect patient care, as resident doctors constitute about 80 per cent of UCH’s medical workforce. “UCH provides intensive specialist care rarely available in the private sector. With this strike, admissions, surgeries, and clinics will be drastically reduced,” he added.
In Osogbo, resident doctors at the University of Osun Teaching Hospital (UTH) also confirmed participation. The President of the ARD chapter, Dr. Phillip Ajibade, said members had joined the strike in line with NARD’s instruction.
“The NARD president was clear—he directed all members nationwide to embark on a total, indefinite, and comprehensive strike. We have complied because what NARD is demanding affects us all,” he said.
NARD’s National President, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman, explained that the strike became inevitable after “several unfulfilled promises and unproductive meetings” with government officials.
“The action followed the expiration of the 30-day ultimatum given to the Federal Government to improve doctors’ welfare and working conditions. It was not taken lightly, but all negotiation efforts failed,” he said.
The association’s leaders maintained that the strike is not politically motivated but aimed at restoring fairness and functionality in Nigeria’s healthcare system.
“It’s not a fight against Nigerians or the government,” Dr. Ajibola said. “It’s a struggle for a fair and just healthcare system that values both caregivers and patients.”
He urged stakeholders and well-meaning Nigerians to intervene, noting that doctors are eager to resume duty once the government addresses their demands.
