After its 10-day deadline expired on September 10, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors has given the Federal Government another 24-hour ultimatum to fulfill its unfulfilled requests. The National Executive Council met for six hours on Wednesday before making the decision. NARD President Dr. Tope Osundara stated that although the group accepted the government's pledge to address their issues, they demanded prompt action.
The doctors called for the prompt payment of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund, the settlement of five months' arrears from the 25–35 percent CMS Structure review, and other long-standing salary backlogs in a statement signed by NARD President Dr. Tope Osundara, General Secretary Dr. Oluwasola Odunbaku, and Publicity and Social Secretary Dr. Omoha Amobi on September 1, 2025.
Additionally, they urged the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to restore its acceptance of West African postgraduate membership certificates, pay the 2024 accommodation allowance arrears, and promptly issue specialty allowances.
They also urged the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria to address the predicament of resident physicians at the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Teaching Hospital in Ogbomoso, implement the 2024 Consolidated Medical Salary Structure, resolve unresolved welfare issues in Kaduna State, and grant membership certificates to all worthy applicants.
A significant portion of clinical services at federal and state hospitals is provided by resident physicians, who constitute the foundation of Nigeria's public health system. Healthcare delivery is frequently paralyzed by any group strike action, leaving patients stranded and hospitals overburdened.
"The Federal Government called us yesterday (Wednesday) and promised to address our concerns," Dr. Osundara told our reporter on Thursday.
Following six hours of discussion, we agreed to allow the government the following twenty-four hours to make sure that the Medical Residency Training Fund is distributed to recipients, to upgrade our membership credentials issued by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, and to address our other requests.
"We will begin the strike right away tomorrow (Friday) if payment is not received by today (Thursday)."
He claims that over 2,000 resident physicians nationwide are still awaiting MRTF reimbursement.