By Nchetachi Chukuwajah
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to address the demands of the striking members of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) so they can resume work immediately.
Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr Iziaq Salako, disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, November 3, following the indefinite strike embarked on by NARD on Saturday, November 1.
Dr Salako expressed regrets and apologised to Nigerians, especially those who were unable to access medical care as a result of the strike.
He said: “I would like to update Nigerians on the challenges around the ongoing strike action by the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors.
First, on behalf of myself and the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Pate, and all the top management staff of the ministry, we would like to express our regrets and unconditional apology to Nigerians, especially those who needed to access health care in the last 48 hours, who could not do it as a result of the strike action by NARD.
“I want to use this opportunity to assure Nigerians that the president has expressly directed that we do everything possible and legitimate to ensure that the resident doctors are brought back to their duty posts as soon as possible.”
Salako said the government had been engaging with NARD’s leadership, adding that it was addressing the 19 separate demands presented by the striking doctors one after another.
The minister chronicled the disputes leading up to the eventual strike action by the resident doctors, including a circular issued by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) in July, which caused division among health sector workers, adding that the ministry sought a review of the circular as it did not accommodate the interests of all health professionals.
He said, “We approached the National Salaries and Wages Commission and the Presidential Committee on Salary Increase, and the circular was therefore withdrawn.”
Salako stated that a Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) process was initiated in August to unify discussions across all health sector unions, including the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), and the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU).
On NARD’s complaint about unregulated work hours and manpower shortages, the minister said the government had approved massive recruitment in the health sector.
He added that the president had approved the increase of the retirement age for clinical health workers to 65 years, adding that the policy was undergoing final establishment procedures before implementation.
“In 2024 alone, the Federal Ministry of Health, using a special waiver mechanism that no other sector enjoys, was able to engage 14,444 health workers across 64 federal tertiary health institutions. 78.1 per cent are clinical staff. Out of those clinical staff, 908 are consultants and 3,064 are resident doctors.
“In 2025, so far, using the same waiver mechanism, we have given approval, and recruitment is already ongoing across 78 federal tertiary health institutions for the employment of 23,059 health workers. 71.1 per cent of them are clinical staff, 868 are consultants and 2,629 are residents, also the second highest,” he said.
Responding to NARD’s financial demands, Salako said the government had released substantial funds to offset outstanding arrears and allowances.
Salako added that N11.995 billion had been processed for additional arrears, while N10 billion had previously been paid to all health workers in August, and another N10 billion had been paid exclusively to resident doctors through the Medical Residency Training Fund.
The minister also addressed concerns about poor infrastructure in health facilities, saying there have been ongoing improvements in hospitals nationwide since May 2023.
