By Hajara Abdullahi
The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has threatened to embark on a fresh nationwide strike following the Federal Government’s failure to honour the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) earlier signed with the association.
This was revealed in a statement posted on X by NARD Secretary General, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim, titled “Urgent Appeal to Avert a Looming Nationwide NARD Strike (TICS 2.0).”
The association warned that Nigeria’s health sector is on the brink of collapse due to the failure of the Federal Ministry of Health and the Federal Government to honour the signed MoU.
“This development is deeply distressing, not only because of its implications for healthcare delivery, but because it represents a breakdown of trust, sincerity, and good faith in government–professional relations,” the statement read.
NARD appealed to senior elders within the association to intervene, noting that members have shown patience and restraint since the suspension of the earlier strike and the expiration of the two-week ultimatum, which the government ignored.
“The ultimatum was subsequently extended by 30 days as a form of goodwill, again without response. A further seven-day extension was granted, still without response. Consequently, TICS 1.0 commenced, prompting limited engagement that culminated in the signing of an MoU with clear timelines,” the statement added.
The association lamented that 31 days after signing the MoU, the government has yet to take any action, warning that it should not be blamed if industrial action resumes.
“We therefore humbly but urgently appeal to you to prevail on the Federal Ministry of Health, and by extension the Federal Government, to take immediate and visible steps to honour the MoU with NARD. Your timely intervention can still avert this looming crisis, restore confidence, and prevent yet another avoidable disruption to healthcare services across the country,” the statement further read.
NARD expressed concern that resident doctors, who form the backbone of service delivery in tertiary hospitals, are overworked, demoralized, and continue to experience burnout.
“When agreements addressing our welfare endorsed by the Federal Government are treated with levity, it sends a dangerous signal that sacrifice, dialogue, and professionalism no longer count,” they added.
It will be recalled that NARD suspended its indefinite strike on November 29 after 29 days of industrial action, following the signing of an MoU with the government. The Federal Government had pledged to meet NARD’s demands within four weeks under the agreement.