NARD Threatens Nationwide Strike From August 10
Last update: July 31, 2026
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Nigeria's health sector is on the brink of another shutdown as resident doctors say they have had enough, and this time, they mean business.
It is a familiar but worrying story for Nigerians. The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, has handed the Federal Government a firm deadline: meet our demands by 8:00 a.m. on Monday, August 10, 2026, or face a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike across all public hospitals.
According to cbinews.tv, the ultimatum was issued in a communiqué signed by NARD President, Mohammad Suleiman, Secretary General, Shuaibu Ibrahim, and Publicity Secretary, Abdulmajid Yahya. This followed the association's week-long National Executive Council meeting held from July 26 to July 31 in Gombe State.
And the doctors did not hold back.
During the briefing, delegates spoke about the worsening state of Nigeria’s healthcare system. Top on their list is the alarming rise in assault, harassment and violent attacks on doctors while on duty, coupled with poor pay, unpaid salaries and promotion arrears, and terrible working conditions.
The association also called out the alleged intimidation and poor treatment of resident doctors at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, urging the management to call its Chief Medical Director, Prof. Wasiu Lanre Adeyemo, to order and restore call-duty meals for doctors.
Perhaps most alarming is the picture NARD painted of Nigeria’s shrinking medical workforce. Eleven years ago, Nigeria had about 25,000 resident doctors. Today, just over 12,000 remain to cater for more than 230 million Nigerians. Of those, around 10,000 work in federal institutions, while only about 2,000 are spread across state and private facilities nationwide.
In the communiqué, as reported by cbinews.tv, NARD tabled a 13-point demand. Some of the key issues include:
Developing a National Healthcare Workers Assault Prevention and Response Protocol and making it a criminal offence to assault health workers.
Immediate payment of the outstanding 25/35% CONMESS upward review arrears and 19 months of Professional Allowance arrears.
Payment of the omitted 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF, as well as salary and promotion arrears across federal hospitals.
Tackling excessive workload, long call duty hours, casualisation of doctors, and welfare issues affecting House Officers.
Urgent rehabilitation and equitable distribution of modern medical infrastructure and equipment across the country.
NARD said it has extended its ultimatums in the past in good faith, but it will no longer tolerate any further delay when it comes to the safety and welfare of its members.
The association is now calling on the Federal Government to act swiftly to avert a total collapse of industrial harmony and to protect what is left of Nigeria’s fragile healthcare system.
Source: cbinews.tv
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