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Tag: Resident doctors

  • FCT resident doctors commence warning strike after 7-day ultimatum

    FCT resident doctors commence warning strike after 7-day ultimatum

    The Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Capital Territory (ARD-FCT), has commenced its seven-day warning strike.

    NARD had, on Monday, September 1, through a communique by its President, Dr George Ebong, joined by other executive members, warned of the development should the Federal Government fail to meet their demands.

    The association said the FCT health system is a long-standing systemic failure that requires comprehensive and immediate reform.

    Ebong also stressed that doctors in the FCT were under pressure and were frequently compelled to cover multiple departments.

    He further called on the federal government to urgently address rising challenges in the health sector, warning that continued neglect could cause systemic collapse.

    The association is demanding urgent intervention in areas like manpower shortages, non-functional equipment, poor working conditions, and unpaid staff allowances.

    It also raised concerns over unpaid salaries, delayed promotions, and underpayment of promoted staff, urging the government to act swiftly to boost healthcare worker morale and restore service efficiency.

    The FCT Health and Environment Secretariat has not reacted to the warning strike. Several calls to Dr. Adedolapo Fasewe, Mandate Secretary of the Secretariat, were not responded to.

    Also, the Permanent Secretary, Health and Human Services Secretary, Dr. Babagana Adam, could not be reached as his phone was busy throughout.

  • Resident doctors reject FG’s pay review, demand revised CONMESS

    Resident doctors reject FG’s pay review, demand revised CONMESS

    The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has rejected the controversial circular issued by the Federal Government through the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) on June 27, 2025, regarding the review of allowances for Medical and Dental Officers.

    Describing the circular with reference number SWC/S/04/S.218/III/646, as preposterous, the doctors said its content failed to address the realities and pressing needs of Nigerian medical professionals. 

    They further stated that the directive stands in stark contradiction to the national policy on health workforce migration and undermines efforts to retain skilled personnel in the country’s health sector.

    According to NARD, in a statement on Saturday by Dr. Osundara Tope and Dr. Odunbaku Kazeem Oluwasola, President and Secretary General respectively, the Commission’s action reflects a troubling level of indifference toward Nigerian doctors, who continue to sacrifice their time and expertise despite poor working conditions, chronic manpower shortages, and inadequate infrastructure.

    They also referred that the Commission’s actions completely failed to address the underlying drivers of health workforce migration or acknowledge its profound impact on Nigeria’s healthcare system.

    Consequently, the association is demanding the implementation of the revised Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and allowances as submitted to the Federal Ministry of Health, which is in keeping with the collective bargaining agreements earlier made with the federal government, including payment of specialist allowance to all doctors. 

    It also declared that, in solidarity with the demands of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), a fresh negotiation team that will align with the principles of the Collective Bargaining Agreement should be set up. 

    The statement reads in part: “For over a decade, the Nigerian government has not fulfilled the tenets of the 2009 collective bargaining agreement reached with the Nigerian Doctors. 

    “The National Salary Income and Wages Commission unilaterally decided to conjure a chaotic allowance structure without transparency and a proper framework that creates mutual respect and understanding.  

    “The allowance Structure as released by the NSIWC lacks attractive and adequate compensation that reflects the hard economic reality we presently face as Nigerian Doctors. 

    Read Also: FCT resident doctors begin three-day warning strike over alleged abscondment

    “It also fails to address the critical concern that is negatively impacting the nation’s healthcare system. 

    “It completely fails to come to grips with the push and pull factors of Health Workforce Migration and the consequences of Health Workforce Migration on the Nigerian health system. 

    “Nigeria is suffering from severe shortages of health workers stemming from poor welfare packages, poor working conditions, excessive workload, burnout, mental fatigue, and lack of compensation for overtime. 

    “In all of these woes on the health workers, what NSIWC could do on behalf of the Federal government is a disrespectful offer to Nigerian doctors”. 

  • Resident doctors end warning strike

    Resident doctors end warning strike

    Striking resident doctors yesterday ended their seven-day industrial action.

    The strike was meant to persuade the government and security agencies to rescue one of their colleagues, Dr. Ganiyat Popoola-Olawale, who has been in her abductors’ den since December 27, last year.

    The warning strike, which began on August 26, faced strong opposition from the Federal Government, which threatened to enforce a ‘no work, no pay’ policy against their doctors.

    Read Also: Resident doctors end warning strike, resume today

    The government expressed disappointment over the union’s decision to embark on the strike, claiming that despite being informed of the various steps it was taking to address the situation, the union still went on strike.

    Despite this threat, the doctors saw the strike to its end.

    Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) President Dele Abdullahi said the association would reassess the Federal Government’s actions over the next three weeks to ensure meaningful progress.

    He said: “We are suspending the strike now. We will be meeting to review the progress the government has made in the next three weeks. “

  • Resident doctors seek release of colleague in captivity

    Resident doctors seek release of colleague in captivity

    The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) in Nigeria has again protested the prolonged captivity of one of its members, Dr. Popoola Ganiyat.

     The ARD, Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital Yaba, Lagos, Friday,   joined the nationwide solidarity march of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) to express the displeasure.

    The doctors, during the protest, called on the Federal Government to intensify efforts toward her safe release.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the doctors are seen displaying placards with different descriptions demanding the immediate release of Ganiyat, a Registrar in the Department of Ophthalmology at the National Eye Centre Kaduna.

    According to the medical professionals, Ganiyat was abducted on December 26, 2023, alongside her husband and nephew.

    The President of ARD, Dr. Salawu Abiola, expressed displeasure of the association over the sad development, calling on the Federal Government and security agencies for urgent action to ensure their immediate release.

    Read Also: Ganiyat Popoola: Ondo resident doctors protest abduction of colleague

    Abiola decried that the doctor had been in the hands of her abductors for more than seven months now.

    “We are embarking on this solidarity walk to express our displeasure over the sad situation of one of our colleagues being under captive for more than seven months now.

    “As a matter of fact, we are calling on the Federal Government and security agencies to expedite efforts to ensure that Ganiyat is safely released,” Abiola said.

    The ARD president recalled that NARD had made a series of efforts to facilitate the release of the abducted doctor and threatened to embark on industrial action from Aug.26,  if Ganiyat was not released.

    He, therefore, stated that ARD would not hesitate to join the industrial action until the abducted doctor was freed.

    Delta resident doctors protest

    Also, resident doctors under the aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Asaba Chapter, have threatened to down tools except their colleague, Popoola, is released seven months after her abduction.

    The doctors, in solidarity with colleagues nationwide, in a procession, marched around the hospital premises of the federal health institution, demanding the release of their colleague from the kidnappers.

    President,  FMC Asaba Chapter of the Association of Resident Doctors, Dr. Kenneth Okolie, accused the federal government of placing little premium on the security of health workers.

    He said this attitude has led to the japa syndrome in the medical profession, adding that most practitioners can no longer put up with the insecurity around them.

    He added that with a poor working environment and inadequate welfare packages, health professionals are forced to seek greener pastures.

    He appealed to the Federal and the Kaduna State governments to secure the release of Popoola with immediate effect or have them shut down their services to society.

    According to him, “No doctor is well remunerated, there is brain drain and japa syndrome has taken over the profession, yet our lives for those of us here, are no longer guaranteed. We need the attention of management, the health ministry, security agencies, and the government to our plights and for them to come to our rescue.”

    Immediate past President of FMC Asaba Chapter, Dr Asore confirmed that the national body had done everything necessary to secure the release of their colleague but to no avail.

    He said, “We have done everything possible to get Dr. Ganiyat Popoola released. It has been promises upon promises by security agencies. We intended to do a nationwide protest but for the fragility of the country at the moment coming from the End Bad Governance protest, we decided to shelve it by asking our members at individual states to restrict the protest within their hospital premises.

  • Resident doctors issue 14-day ultimatum to FG over colleague’s incarceration

    Resident doctors issue 14-day ultimatum to FG over colleague’s incarceration

    The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued a two-week ultimatum to the federal government for the unconditional release of their colleague, Ganiyat Popoola, who has been held captive for seven months.

    According to the association, failure to comply with this demand will jeopardize the harmonious industrial relationship between resident doctors and the government.

    The doctors stated that they had been left with no alternatives after exploring several amicable settlement options with relevant authorities to no avail.

    NARD issued the ultimatum in a communiqué on July 27, 2024, following the conclusion of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting and Scientific Conference held in Katsina State, where the doctors expressed despair over the continued captivity of Popoola and her nephew, who have been held in inhumane conditions for several months.

    The NEC expressed concerns over the deteriorating health of Popoola and her nephew while under captivity and alleged that security agents have made little to no efforts to resolve the situation while also criticizing the nonchalant attitude of the Kaduna State government towards the plight of their colleague and her nephew.

    In the communique signed by Dele Olaitan (President), Anaduaka Obinna (Secretary General) Egbe Jonah (Public and Social Secretary), the NEC also frowned at the alarming increase in kidnapping and assault on doctors which is threatening their very existence.

    Furthermore, the NEC observed with grave concern, the persistent manpower shortage, crippling the nation’s healthcare system despite different changes in the recruitment modalities.

    The NEC observed with dismay the casualization of our members in different health institutions all over the country with consequent jeopardy to their welfare.

    Also, while the group observed with dismay the non-payment of upward review of CONMESS arrears for all her members post-implementation in February 2024, described as a blatant disregard for our welfare, the NEC decried the non-implementation of the new accoutrements allowance circular and blatant disregard of a directive of the Federal Ministry by numerous heads of the health institution in the payment of its arrears.

    The NEC however appreciated the Government for the quick payment of 2024 MRTF while noting that some centres and individuals are yet to receive payment.

    It also decried the unresolved outstanding issues of MRTF 2023, 2022, and 2021.

    In its resolution, the resident doctors demanded an expedition in the process of waiver issuance by the Ministry of Health to cover the massive manpower deficits in our institutions.

    While advocating for a cap on the work hours of healthcare professionals to prevent burnout, the NEC also demanded additional pay for extra hours worked.

    “The NEC Calls for an expedition in the capturing process of medical professionals and abolishment of casualization of Doctors in its entirety.

    Read Also: ABUTH resident doctors begin five-day warning strike

    “The NEC demands immediate implementation of the new accoutrements circular and payment of the arrears of the upward review of CONMESS.

    “The NEC urges heads of institutions to comply with the Federal Ministry directives and work towards ensuring payment of the said accoutrement allowance arrears to avoid industrial disputes within their institutions.

    “The NEC demands immediate implementation of consequential adjustment of minimum wage along with the implementation of the new minimum wage,” the communique added.

  • LASUTH resident doctors begin warning strike Jan 28

    Resident doctors at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja will begin three days warning strike on January 28, the President, Association Doctors (ARD-LASUTH) president Dr. Fatai Balogun said yesterday.

    The strike, is over shortage of house officers and resident doctors.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the association last September went on an indefinite strike to demand the replacement of house officers and resident doctors that left.

    Balogun said the strike was suspended following the  management’s promise to replace them.

    “This crisis has been recurring over the years without any structured policy put in place to ensure seamless replacement of the exited doctors.

    “This, however, creates loopholes in the provision of optimal clinical service delivery.

    “It is made to appear that the only language understood by them is an avoidable industrial action.

    “All we are asking for is seamless employment of resident doctors and house officers; this should not be a tall order.

    “The association is left with no option but to reluctantly resume the suspended strike with a three-day warning strike, which inevitably commences at 8am on Monday, January 28,” Balogun said.

    He said shortage of doctors had resulted in long waiting period by patients and inefficient sub-optimal health care service.

    The doctors, he said, were being overworked and are falling ill.

    “Until our struggle last September, the government did not employ doctors.

    “The state government, after the struggle, employed only 55 house officers and promised to employ the remaining 25 last December.

    “Up till now, they have not been employed,” Balogun said.

    LASUTH Chief Medical Director Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo promised to avert the strike.

    He said the Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, would ensure the treatment of the paper work needed in the recruitment of doctors.

    “The head of service believes there should be a template for automatic replacement of doctors. He says he will work towards that in order to address the shortage,” Fabamwo said.

  • Resident doctors task media over mental health reporting

    The President of the Association of Resident Doctors, Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Dr. Mojisola  Akerele, has called on media practitioners to help reduce the stigma currently associated with mental health in Nigeria.

    She made the call in a chat with The Nation at a workshop the association organised at the weekend in Lagos as part of its annual week.  “We expect that the media imbibe the lessons from today’s discussion in their report of issues relating to mental health.  From now, we expect the media to report issues bordering on mental health in line with global standards. What we did today is to shine the light on what we have noticed over time,” he said.

    A participant at the workshop, Dr. Osun Makinde, called on the government to develop political commitment towards sustaining programmes of this kind.

    A consultant public health physician, Dr David Oladele, also admonished the media to get the right information from experts. “Medicine has different branches and there are professionals, the media must ask the right question, broadcast it in the simplest of forms without misinforming the audience, especially as it relates to mental health,” he said. The workshop had the theme ‘Mental illness and the Media,’ with a sub theme, ‘Best Practices in Reportage.’

     

  • Lagos to resident doctors: shelve planned strike

    The Lagos State Government has appealed to resident doctors to shelve their panned three-day warning strike billed to begin tomorrow in the public interest.

    Commissioner for Health Dr Jide Idris urged the doctors to consider the plight of the masses who always bear the brunt of such actions.

    The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, on Sunday threatened to embark on an indefinite strike following what it called acute shortage of resident doctors and house officers in the hospital.

    It said LASUTH management’s failure to employ house officers and resident doctors would trigger the strike.

    The ARD-LASUTH threatened a shutdown of services in the hospital, adding that doctors will not attend to emergency cases during the period.

    But in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday, Idris said there were plans to hire more house officers and resident doctors. He urged the doctors to shelve their plan.

    He said: “There are plans by the state government to employ more house officers and resident doctors. We have started that already.

    “If you will recall that the Lagos State Health Service Commission care facilities have an approval to recruit more house officers and we are working on the other approval for the teaching hospitals.

    “So we are aware of the agitations and we are working seriously on how to address the issue; we will meet with stakeholders today.

    “I appeal to the doctors to shelve their planned strike in the interest of the people.”

  • Resident doctors seek pay parity for federal, state doctors

    Resident doctors seek pay parity for federal, state doctors

    THE National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has canvassed equal remunerations and welfare package for medical doctors employed in federal and state owned hospitals.

    It said its members are prepared to use all available means to ensure that doctors in the services of state government get the same treatment as others in federal service.

    The association’s just elected National President, Dr. Ugochukwu Chinaka, who said this at a news conference in Abuja,  added that resident doctors believe in the mantra: “Same doctor, same patient and same treatment”.

    He noted that there was no basis for doctors employed in state health institutions to be treated less than their counterparts in federal hospitals.

    The NARD President said they were prepared to use everything within their means to actualise this, including advocacy and engaging those he called relevant stakeholders.

    Chinaka said the association was committed to the implementation of the memorandum of terms of settlement it entered into with the Federal Government.

    Resident doctors, he added, were prepared to use all legitimate means within their disposal to forestall any breach of the implementation.

    He asked chief executives of hospitals, who were yet to begin implementation of the agreement to avoid any action that would be inimical to the peace of hospitals and health institutions.

    The NARD President said the association was concerned about the threat posed by communicable  diseases such as the outbreak of yellow fever and cholera.

    Chinaka asked Nigerians to maintain a high level of vigilance, inculcate best hygienic practices and government should support adequate response and control measures.

    He, however, condemned the alleged threat and action of some hospitals’ chief executives, especially those  of Jos University Teaching Hospital; National Orthopedic hospital, Dala; University College Hospital, Ibadan; and Federal Medical Centre, Owo.

    Their activities, he said, were capable of causing a breakdown in peace.

    He condemned the spate of sack of medical doctors at the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri and the alleged deplorable state of its members’ welfare at state universities’ teaching hospitals.

     

  • Doctors protest non-release of ‘short fall’ salary arrears in Ondo

    Doctors protest non-release of ‘short fall’ salary arrears in Ondo

    Resident Doctors serving at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Owo,Ondo state Wednesday protested the alleged non-payment of their 2016 arrears of salary shortfall released by the federal government since April this year.

    The medical practitioners carried placards with various inscriptions such as “why doctors not paid their 2016 arrears, despite being released by the federal government, Dr Ahmed Liasu, pay workers the money released by the federal government, CMD stop misrepresenting federal government among others.

    The President, Resident Doctors Association (RDA) in the centre, Dr Ibikunle Fakorede told reporters that a sum of over N280m was released to the FMC,Owo management in April to pay their 2016 salary short fall arrears.

    However, he said the acting Chief Medical Director (CMD) Dr Liasu Ahmed allegedly refused to release the money to the Resident Doctors.

    According to him, “we were able to get all relevant documents that mandated the management of the Hospital to pay the arrears to the doctors, but the CMD has not effected the payment.

    “In the documents,it was stated that the shortfall arrears was for the Resident Doctors, we have written to the Federal Ministries of Health, Finance and Labour, and the money was released since April to the management, but not paid to us.

    Fakorede said the federal government had done its own bit by releasing the money to the centre like all others across the country, but wondered why the CMD sat on the fund.

    He said similar funds had been accordingly disbursed to their colleagues in various FMC across the country.

    The medical doctor said they would begin work-to-rule action from 8.00 am to 1p.m daily before going back to their offices until their demands are met.

    According to him, the money had been released five months ago to the FMC management,but not release to them on the claim that the salary arrears was not meant for doctors alone.

    However,the acting CMD, Dr Ahmed Liasu who spoke to reporters on phone confirmed the receipt of over N280m from the federal government, but emphasised that it was meant for all categories of workers in the centre.

    According to him, the development was not peculiar to FMC Owo alone, but all Medical Centres across the nation, stressing that it was meant to settle the 2016 salary short fall of all workers in the hospital and other personnel costs.

    Liasu urged the protesting doctors to exercise patience, assuring that the arrears would be settled.

    He noted that any fund from the federal government must have a schedule.

    The acting CMD said “the present Buhari’s administration has zero tolerance to corruption, the allegation on misappropriation of funds by the management of the institution does not arise as we apply due process to all actions”.