The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued the Federal Government a deadline of August 10, 2026, to address longstanding welfare and labour issues or face a total and comprehensive nationwide industrial strike by resident doctors.

The decision was reached at the association’s July National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Gombe State.

The association said the planned strike would commence at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, August 10, if the government fails to meet its demands, which include payment of outstanding salary arrears, allowances, implementation of agreements, and improved working conditions.

The communiqué was jointly signed by NARD President, Dr Mohammad Usman Suleiman; Secretary-General, Dr Shuaibu Ibrahim; and Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr Abdulmajid Yahya Ibrahim, who said the association remained committed to dialogue but insisted that the welfare of resident doctors and the survival of Nigeria’s healthcare system were non-negotiable.

The NEC condemned the persistent assault, harassment and intimidation of doctors across the country, describing the trend as a serious threat to the nation’s fragile healthcare system. It called for the establishment of a National Healthcare Workers Assault Prevention and Response Protocol and legislation to criminalise attacks on healthcare workers.

ALSO READ: How I struck late UNIJOS graduate three times with wooden plank — Suspect

While commending the Federal Government for disbursing the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) to eligible doctors, the association demanded immediate payment for those omitted from the exercise. It also called for the settlement of outstanding 25/35 per cent CONMESS arrears, 19 months’ Professional Allowance arrears, salary arrears and promotion arrears owed to doctors in federal health institutions.

NARD further expressed concern over welfare challenges affecting house officers, including delays in salary payments, unpaid arrears, internship placement difficulties and onboarding bottlenecks. It also urged the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to expedite the implementation of recommendations by the ministerial committee on excessive workload, prolonged call duty hours, casualisation of doctors and abuse of locum appointments.

The association warned that unresolved welfare issues at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), particularly the alleged intimidation of resident doctors and refusal to provide call-duty meals, must be resolved before August 10 or risk triggering industrial action.

The NEC also called on the Federal and State Governments to increase investment in healthcare, strengthen primary healthcare services, accelerate universal health coverage, recruit and retain more healthcare personnel, and rehabilitate public health infrastructure nationwide.

The meeting, held from July 26 to July 31 in Gombe under the theme, “Strengthening Healthcare Systems: Resident Doctors at the Forefront,” reviewed engagements with the Federal Government and concluded that progress on previous agreements remained unsatisfactory.