Healthcare: Nigerian Resident Doctors begin total, indefinite strike April 7

*Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim, Secretary-General of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors, says the National Executive Council has urged members nationwide to remain committed to the industrial action until its stated demands are met

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

Following the Federal Government’s decision to stop the implementation of the Professional Allowance Table (PAT), the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has said members will commence a total and indefinite nationwide strike from Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

ConsumerConnect reports the NARD described the Federal Government’s decision to discontinue the implementation of the PAT as “unfortunate and unacceptable”.

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The Association also disclosed its members had resolved to embark on a total and comprehensive industrial action after extensive deliberations.

It noted that members would only suspend the action, if its demands are met.

Among its demands, NARD called for an immediate reversal of the decision to discontinue the implementation of the PAT from April 2026.

The Association also demanded the immediate payment of promotion arrears and outstanding salary arrears owed to doctors in affected centres across the country.

Core reasons for Resident Doctors’ comprehensive, nationwide strike

The Resident Doctors, among other specific issues, have raised concerns about PAT removal, stating the abrupt decision to halt the PAT, which was agreed upon in 2025, was labelled “unfortunate and unacceptable”.

NARD also mentioned accumulated arrears, including the non-payment of salaries and promotion arrears for several doctors.

Another is the Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) resulting from low pace in paying the 2026 fund.

Other grievances poor working conditions and a continued exodus of staff to foreign countries.

The Association, therefore, urged the prompt conclusion of the process for the payment of the 2026 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF).

It equally demanded the immediate processing and payment of the outstanding 19 months’ arrears of the Professional Allowance under the PAT.

The Association disclosed it reached this conclusion during a recent extraordinary virtual meeting of the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) held April 4.

Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim, Secretary-General of NARD, who noted this in a statement at the weekend, said the Association’s NEC urged Resident Doctors members nationwide to remain united and committed to the industrial action until its demands are met.

Ibrahim stated: “The NARD leadership calls on its members to unite in the fight against this injustice and seek to pursue it to a logical conclusion.”

Meanwhile, in terms of far-reaching implications of the proposed strike in the healthcare sector in Nigeria, observers said consumers should expect severe disruption to healthcare services in especially all Federal and state teaching hospitals/federal medical centres across the West African country.

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