The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its five-day warning strike, which began on Friday and left public hospitals struggling with limited staff attending to overwhelming patient numbers.
NARD President, Dr. Tope Osundare, announced the suspension on Saturday night, saying the decision was taken as a gesture of goodwill to ease the plight of Nigerians seeking healthcare.
“Some of our demands have been met. The government has promised to look into other issues. Strike suspended; resumption to work tomorrow (today). We did this as a sign of goodwill and to assist Nigerians who are seeking healthcare in our various facilities,” Osundare said.
He, however, did not specify which demands had been addressed.
The doctors had embarked on the strike to press for several entitlements, including immediate payment of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund, settlement of five months’ arrears from the 25–35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure review, and clearance of salary backlogs.
Other demands included unpaid 2024 accoutrement allowance arrears, specialist allowance disbursements, recognition of the West African postgraduate membership certificates by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, issuance of membership certificates for qualified candidates from the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, and implementation of the 2024 Consolidated Medical Salary Structure.
NARD also urged urgent intervention in welfare issues affecting its members in Kaduna State and at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso.
