By Mustapha Yauri
Zaria (Kaduna State), Dec. 9, 2026
The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) chapter at Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital (ABUTH) has officially declared its participation in an impending nationwide indefinite strike, scheduled to commence on January 12. This move signals a critical escalation in a long-standing dispute between resident doctors and the Federal Government, highlighting a profound breakdown in trust and implementation of previously agreed-upon terms.
Dr. Haruna-Saleh Usman, President of the NARD ABUTH chapter, represented by Vice-President Dr. Yusuf Ibrahim, announced the decision during a press conference in Zaria. The chapter’s action plan extends beyond a mere work stoppage; it includes organized picketing and peaceful protests within the hospital premises, a tactic designed to maintain visibility and public pressure while adhering to lawful assembly.
The core of the conflict lies in the government’s failure to implement the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on November 29, 2025. This agreement was itself the product of a previous nationwide strike that began on November 1, 2025. The 19-point MoU addressed a chronic web of issues crippling Nigeria’s medical training system: welfare deficiencies, remuneration shortfalls, and systemic professional practice hurdles.
Deconstructing the Broken Promises: Key Unmet Demands
Dr. Usman outlined specific, unfulfilled provisions that have forced this drastic action:
- The Lokoja Reinstatement Debacle: A critical, time-bound clause mandated the reinstatement of disengaged resident doctors from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, within two weeks. Instead of reinstatement, the government has proposed redeploying them to other hospitals. This is not a solution but a severe penalty, as Dr. Usman explained. Many of these doctors are in the advanced stages of their residency programmes, preparing for crucial fellowship exams. Forced redeployment would effectively nullify years of specialized training, forcing them to restart—a profound professional and personal injustice.
- Financial Arrears in Bureaucratic Limbo: Promised promotion arrears for doctors in various institutions remain unpaid. The delay, according to NARD, stems from a failure to forward the compiled figures to the Budget Office and the Federal Ministry of Finance. This creates a demoralizing cycle where earned income is perpetually pending, undermining financial stability and morale.
- Exclusion from the National Budget: The approved “Professional Allowance” table and its accrued arrears, a significant component of the MoU, were conspicuously absent from the 2026 national budget. This omission is interpreted by NARD as a clear sign of bad faith, demonstrating a lack of concrete planning to honor the agreement.
- Persistent Systemic Ambiguity: Long-standing issues like “skipping” (a salary grade adjustment) and correct entry-level placement for doctors remain unresolved due to a lack of clear directives from the Federal Ministry of Health to hospital chief executives. This ambiguity allows for inconsistent application across institutions, fostering inequality and frustration.
The Ripple Effect: Beyond the Hospital Gates
The decision by ABUTH—a major tertiary and training hospital in Northern Nigeria—to join the strike is particularly significant. It indicates a unified front across the NARD national body and foreshadows a severe disruption to healthcare services. Teaching hospitals like ABUTH are referral centers for complex cases and are the primary training grounds for the country’s future medical consultants. An indefinite strike halts both service delivery and medical education, creating a crisis with immediate and long-term consequences for public health.
Dr. Usman’s statement that the government has failed to show “clear, concrete and genuine commitment” encapsulates the core grievance. The repeated cycle of strike, negotiation, agreement, and non-implementation has eroded all confidence. The planned peaceful protests are a strategic effort to keep the public informed and maintain moral pressure, framing the action not as an abandonment of patients, but as a necessary, last-resort fight for a sustainable healthcare system and the rights of its frontline workers.
The coming weeks will test the government’s willingness to move from signing documents to executing tangible solutions, lest the healthcare system grinds to a halt.
Edited by Muhammad Lawal
Source: NAN
