FG Blames Doctors’ Strike on Structural, Policy Gaps, Not Neglect

The Federal Government has said the ongoing strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) is driven by long-standing structural and policy challenges in the health sector, rather than neglect by the current administration.

This position was outlined by the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Mr. Alaba Balogun.

Salako said the government has shown clear commitment to improving the welfare of health workers through recent reforms, including an upward review of professional allowances estimated at about ₦90 billion annually.

He explained that the revised allowances, approved in November 2025, cover call duty, shift duty, non-clinical duty and rural posting allowances, and were jointly negotiated with all health professional groups.

“Past negotiations were often fragmented, with different health professional groups engaging government separately, leading to conflicting agreements on pay parity and relativity and triggering repeated industrial actions,” Salako said.

According to him, the current administration has adopted a collective bargaining framework to promote inclusiveness and minimise disputes across the sector.

While reaffirming the government’s resolve to improve healthcare workers’ remuneration, Salako noted that such adjustments must be balanced with other national priorities, including education, security and infrastructure.

On NARD’s ongoing demands, the minister said the association’s list had reduced from 19 items to nine, describing this as a sign of progress in negotiations. He, however, noted that some demands are constrained by existing public service rules and approved schemes of service.

Addressing the demand for a specialist allowance for resident doctors, Salako said residents are specialists-in-training and that the allowance is currently reserved for consultants in line with existing regulations. He added that the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission had cautioned that extending the allowance could prompt similar claims from other workers undergoing specialist training.

On complaints about delays in certification, Salako clarified that the National Postgraduate Medical College does not issue certificates after Part I examinations, stressing that the Ministry cannot override the institution’s policy.

Commenting on the disengagement of five resident doctors in Lokoja, he said the action followed due civil service disciplinary procedures. A ministerial review, he said, has recommended the reinstatement of two doctors, reprimand for two others, and a fresh hearing for one.

Salako assured Nigerians that the Ministry of Health, working with the Ministry of Labour and other stakeholders, remains committed to sustained dialogue to stabilise the health sector and prevent disruptions to healthcare services.

NARD represents doctors undergoing postgraduate training in teaching hospitals nationwide and has frequently resorted to industrial action to demand improved working conditions, prompt payment of allowances and fair remuneration parity.

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