By Aderogba George
Abuja, Jan. 7, 2026
The University of Abuja Teaching Hospital Association of Resident Doctors (ARD-UATH) has formally declared its support for the nationwide industrial action planned by its parent body, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), set to commence on Monday, January 12. This endorsement signals a critical escalation in the long-standing dispute between Nigeria’s frontline medical workforce and the Federal Government, threatening to paralyze an already strained public healthcare system.
Dr. Adewale-Adeleye Premiere, President of ARD-UATH, made the announcement during a press conference, detailing the contents of a communiqué issued after NARD’s Extraordinary National Executive Council (NEC) emergency meeting held on January 2nd in Abuja.
The Core of the Conflict: A Broken Memorandum of Understanding
At the heart of the impending strike is the government’s failure to implement a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreed upon with NARD. Dr. Premiere emphasized that this was not a one-sided decree but a document “freely entered into” between the doctors’ association and representatives of the Federal Government, specifically the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment.
“Several of the nineteen demands outlined in the MoU remain unimplemented,” Premiere stated, underscoring a pattern of unmet promises that has eroded trust. The ARD-UATH has vowed to stand with the national body to ensure these commitments are “actualised fully nationwide.”
Key Unresolved Issues: Beyond Salaries
While salary arrears are a significant flashpoint, the doctors’ grievances paint a broader picture of systemic collapse:
- Controversial Redeployments: ARD-UATH strongly rejects the Health Ministry’s decision to redeploy five disengaged resident doctors from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja. This move, according to Premiere, “contradicts clear, unambiguous recommendations” of a committee established by the Ministry itself to resolve the Lokoja dispute fairly and transparently. This highlights a failure of internal dispute resolution mechanisms.
- Promotion & Salary Arrears: The association demands the immediate transmission of compiled promotion arrears to the Budget Office and Ministry of Finance for payment. This bureaucratic delay has financial and morale implications for thousands of doctors.
- Infrastructure Decay: A critical, often overlooked demand is the urgent rehabilitation of “decaying infrastructure and replacement of obsolete equipment” in public health institutions. Premiere directly linked this to brain drain, stating that improved facilities are essential to encourage doctors to remain and practise in Nigeria.
- Regulatory Failures: The doctors are calling for the activation of an MoU taskforce on locum regulation, reduced work hours, and the timely conclusion of a stalled Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) process. These are fundamental to establishing sustainable and humane working conditions.
- Widespread Salary Withholdings: The call for payment of outstanding salaries and allowances extends to doctors in at least eight specific tertiary institutions across the country (including BSUTH, DELSUTH, OAUTHC, etc.), indicating a widespread, non-localized problem.
- IPPIS System Failures: A technical but devastating issue is the reconciliation and payment of failed transactions within the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS), affecting arrears from salary reviews for about 40% of NARD members. This showcases how systemic inefficiencies directly impact livelihoods.
The Stakes: A Nation on the Brink of a Healthcare Shutdown
Dr. Premiere’s warning was unequivocal: “Failure to fully implement the MoU would compel ARD-UATH to join the planned nationwide industrial action.” With the strike scheduled to begin at midnight on January 12th, the countdown has begun.
This potential action is not merely a labor dispute; it is a symptom of a deeper crisis in Nigeria’s health sector. Resident doctors form the backbone of clinical services in public teaching hospitals, handling a majority of patient care, emergencies, and night duties. Their withdrawal would cripple these institutions, placing immense strain on the few remaining consultants and jeopardizing the health of millions of Nigerians who rely on public healthcare.
The ARD-UATH’s solidarity with NARD underscores a unified front. The government’s response in the coming days will determine whether it can address not just a list of demands, but the fundamental issues of governance, trust, and investment needed to prevent the recurring cycle of healthcare strikes and secure the future of Nigeria’s medical sector.
(Source: NAN News)
AG/AMM
Edited by Abiemwense Moru
