Tension in Hospitals as Resident Doctors Set Friday Deadline for Indefinite Strike
Nigeria’s public health sector faces fresh uncertainty as resident doctors under the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) prepare to commence an indefinite nationwide strike by Friday midnight, citing the Federal Government’s failure to address their long-standing welfare demands.
The decision, reached after an intense five-hour emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting on Saturday, signals a full-scale shutdown of medical services in federal and state hospitals across the country.
Announcing the move, NARD President, Dr. Mohammad Usman Suleiman, said the doctors had exhausted patience after the government ignored their 30-day ultimatum.
“The NEC has unanimously directed us to declare a total, comprehensive, and indefinite strike to begin on Friday, October 31, 2025, at 11:59 p.m.,” Suleiman stated via his official X page.
He noted that the association’s National Officers Committee (NOC) had executed all previous directives and would now implement NEC’s latest resolution to the letter.
“We have reported back to NEC and they have decided. The NOC will carry out this directive in full compliance,” he said.
Under the new directive, all hospital branches have been ordered to convene emergency congress meetings to brief members, establish strike monitoring teams, and enforce the “no pay, no work” policy during the industrial action.
Dr. Suleiman accused certain groups within and outside Government of working against the welfare of resident doctors, warning that the association would resist any exploitative measures.
“Some elements in Government have very evil and exploitative plans for resident doctors in this Country. We shall collectively resist it,” he declared.
Ahead of the strike, the association urged doctors to properly handover patients, engage in media sensitisation, and liaise with traditional and religious leaders to explain the reasons behind their action.
The planned shutdown comes at a difficult time for Nigeria’s health system, which is already strained by severe manpower shortages as thousands of medical professionals continue to migrate abroad in search of better opportunities.
A detailed communiqué outlining NARD’s minimum demands is expected before the strike begins, but insiders say the issues revolve around unpaid allowances, improved remuneration, training funding, and adequate working conditions.
If the Government fails to intervene before Friday’s deadline, the Country may witness yet another major disruption in hospital services leaving millions of patients at risk.
