Resident Doctors Weigh Nationwide Strike As Ultimatum To Government Expires

Resident doctors across Nigeria will today decide whether to begin a nationwide strike after the expiration of a 10-day ultimatum issued to the federal government.

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors is holding its National Executive Council meeting to review the government’s response to its demands and determine its next steps.

The doctors had warned that they would shut down services in public hospitals if their grievances were not addressed. Their demands include payment of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund, settlement of arrears from the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure review, and clearance of salary backlogs. They are also pushing for payment of 2024 accoutrement allowance arrears, disbursement of specialist allowances, and restoration of recognition for West African postgraduate membership certificates.

The association’s leadership has also called on the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria to issue membership certificates to eligible candidates, implement the revised CONMESS package, and resolve long-standing welfare issues affecting doctors in Kaduna State and the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital in Ogbomoso.

The strike threat comes at a time when Nigeria’s health system is already under strain. Public hospitals are overcrowded, understaffed, and struggling with inadequate infrastructure, while resident doctors make up the bulk of the workforce in teaching and specialist hospitals.

If the doctors vote to down tools, the impact on healthcare delivery could be severe. Patients would likely be forced to turn to expensive private facilities, worsening access to treatment and deepening the crisis in a country already facing poor health outcomes.

Medical experts caution that another shutdown could cripple service delivery nationwide, compounding the challenges of a fragile system. The decision of the NEC meeting will determine whether dialogue continues or if Nigeria heads into another round of industrial action in its health sector.