The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has strongly faulted the recent statement by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, titled “FG Reaffirms Commitment to Doctors’ Welfare and Industrial Harmony in the Health Sector,” describing it as misleading and inconsistent with the realities faced by doctors nationwide. In a detailed rejoinder issued on Monday, NARD accused the ministry of presenting an “optimistic narrative” that does not reflect the true situation in Nigeria’s health sector.
NARD stated that its reason for issuing the rejoinder was “for the sake of transparency, truth, and the health of Nigerians,” adding that the government “may have been misinformed about the true nature of our grievances.” The association maintains that it has 19 outstanding demands that are “neither new nor unreasonable” but are the minimum requirements for a sustainable healthcare system.
The association listed numerous unpaid allowances and arrears, including the 25%/35% CONMESS review, accoutrement allowance, promotion arrears, upgrade arrears, and salary backlogs, some of which have remained unsettled for over five years. NARD acknowledged partial payments of some arrears but noted that “many resident doctors have yet to receive the full payment of these accrued arrears.”
NARD condemned what it called “unacceptable bureaucratic delays” in promotions and upgrades, urging the government to consider alternative payroll solutions if the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) continues to fail, citing frequent salary shortfalls. The association also challenged the government’s claim of recruiting thousands of health workers, demanding disaggregated data on how many of them are doctors, and noted that the active pool of resident doctors has dropped from 15,000–16,000 to barely 9,000–10,000 today.
The doctors’ body commended the partial reinstatement of doctors dismissed from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, but condemned the continued delay in reinstating the remaining two, insisting that “Selective justice only deepens mistrust.” NARD also criticised the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) for its re-categorisation of certificates from the West African Postgraduate Medical Colleges, demanding a reversal of the policy and inclusion of resident doctors among beneficiaries of the Specialist Allowance.
