Nationwide Health Care Disruption as 12,000 Doctors Go on Strike

A five-day warning strike by 12,000 doctors affiliated with the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has caused disruptions to health care services across Nigeria. The strike, which began on a Friday morning after a 24-hour ultimatum expired, affects emergency wards, operating rooms, and other critical units in hospitals and primary health care centers nationwide. The doctors are demanding payment of outstanding medical training fund, salary arrears, and other benefits, totaling 13 specific demands.

Key Takeaways:

• The strike involves 12,000 doctors out of 56,000 registered doctors in Nigeria, all under the umbrella of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD).
• The striking doctors are calling for the immediate payment of the outstanding 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund, settlement of five months of arrears from the 25-35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure review, and other long-standing salary backlogs.
• The demands include payment of the 2024 accoutrement allowance arrears, prompt disbursement of specialist allowances, restoration of the recognition of the West African postgraduate membership certificates, and resolution of outstanding welfare issues in Kaduna State.
• Primary health care centers, district hospitals, and teaching hospitals across the country are affected by the strike, which includes units such as operating rooms, emergency departments, intensive care units (ICUs), wards, specialized clinics, diagnostic imaging, and laboratories.
• The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Dr Pokop W. Bupwatda, has called for continuous dialogue between government and resident doctors to avert disruption of services in the health sector.

Statistics:

• 12,000 doctors are on strike across Nigeria.
• The strike involves 56,000 registered doctors in total.
• 13 specific demands are not met by the government.
• 24-hour ultimatum was expired before the strike began.
• 10-day deadline was lapsed on September 10 without resolution.
• 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund is outstanding.
• Five months of arrears from the 25-35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure review are unpaid.

Sources:

• National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD)
• Weekend Trust
• Declaration of strike action (signed by Dr Oluwasola Odunbaku, secretary-general of NARD)