Nigerian patients can breathe a temporary sigh of relief as the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has called off its indefinite nationwide strike, directing all members to resume work at 8am on Wednesday following a crunch meeting of the association’s National Executive Council . NARD President Mohammad Usman Suleiman confirmed the suspension to TheCable on Tuesday, but the relief comes with a razor-sharp edge: the doctors have served notice that they will down tools again if the federal government fails to meet their demands by April 21 . The warning turns what should be a moment of celebration for millions of anxious Nigerians into a tense countdown, with patients and families now watching the calendar as closely as the government .
The strike, which began on April 7, had plunged Nigeria’s fragile healthcare system into chaos, with public hospitals across the country turning away patients and emergency services severely limited . The doctors walked out after accusing the government of a “treacherous” plan to scrap a revised Professional Allowance Table that was part of a memorandum of understanding signed after the 2025 industrial action . The association had also demanded immediate payment of 19 months of professional allowance arrears, 2026 Medical Residency Training Funds and outstanding promotion arrears across various health centres . With the strike now suspended, the government has bought itself a two-week window to deliver on its promises—or face another crippling shutdown .
The timing of the suspension suggests some progress in back-channel negotiations, though neither NARD nor the Federal Ministry of Health has disclosed details of what, if any, commitments were made . The government had remained largely silent throughout the strike, leaving patients and their families in a state of panic as the days ticked by . For millions of poor Nigerians who rely on public hospitals for everything from emergency caesarean sections to malaria treatment, the resumption of services will come as an enormous relief—but one shadowed by the knowledge that the sword of another strike remains dangling by a thread until April 21 . The health sector, already bleeding professionals to the “Japa” brain drain, can ill afford another prolonged shutdown .
