The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued a 30-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to address unresolved welfare and policy issues affecting its members.

The resolution was contained in a communiqué signed by NARD President, Dr. Mohammad Suleiman; Secretary-General, Dr. Shuaibu Ibrahim; and Publicity and Social Secretary, Dr. Abdulmajid Ibrahim, at the end of the association’s 45th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference, held in Katsina State from September 21–26.

The doctors listed outstanding promotion arrears, corrected professional allowances, and the reinstatement of five dismissed doctors at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, as key demands.

They also rejected what they described as the “dangerous trend” of creating consultant cadres for non-medical doctors.

“The AGM demands that the Federal Government urgently pay all accumulated promotion arrears owed to our members across all federal institutions within 30 days,” the communiqué read.

“The AGM gives the Federal Ministry of Health and the Management of FTH Lokoja 30 days to reinstate the five sacked medical doctors.”

On working conditions, the association directed its members to stop call duties exceeding 24 consecutive hours from October 1.

“The AGM calls on the Federal Ministry of Health to develop and implement clear, healthy call duty working hours for doctors in line with international best practices. In the interim, members should desist from engaging in more than 24 hours of continuous call duty,” the statement said.

The group also pressed for immediate settlement of arrears from the 25 per cent and 35 per cent upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), the 2024 Accoutrement Allowance arrears, and other salary shortfalls.

NARD demanded that house officers be included in the Civil Service Scheme, and called for a one-for-one replacement policy to fill vacancies created by doctors leaving the system.

“The AGM calls on the Federal Government to grant Chief Executives of hospitals less encumbered means of employing doctors and replacing those who have left, to reduce excessive workload on existing members,” it said.

The association further urged the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria to restore full recognition of the West African postgraduate membership certificates, and asked the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria to immediately commence issuance of membership certificates to qualified candidates.

NARD also demanded urgent action from Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, to resolve welfare concerns at the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomosho.

Beyond welfare, the doctors said they would intensify advocacy with the National Assembly to ensure adequate healthcare funding in the 2026 budget. They also restated demands for implementation of special pension benefits for doctors, while encouraging medical entrepreneurship to cushion the effect of economic hardship.

The AGM, themed “Mitigating health worker migration through extra-remuneration incentives: A strategy for sustainable development”, also marked a change in leadership, with Suleiman elected as president to succeed Dr. Tope Osundara. (The Guardian)