The Nigerian Government has reassured its citizens that concrete and sustained steps are being taken to end the ongoing strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), promising swift restoration of services across public hospitals nationwide.
The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, who made this known during a press conference in Abuja, said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the ministry to take all legitimate measures to ensure that the resident doctors return to work without further delay.
He expressed regret over the hardship caused by the strike and apologised to Nigerians who have been unable to access medical services.
“On behalf of myself, the Coordinating Minister, and the entire management of the ministry, I sincerely apologise to all Nigerians who have been affected by this disruption,” Dr. Salako said.
“The President has expressly directed that we do everything possible and legitimate to ensure resident doctors return to their duty posts as soon as possible.”
The minister revealed that the Nigerian Government has been engaging NARD and other health unions through the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) mechanism inaugurated in August 2025 to address issues of salary relativity, allowances, and working conditions.
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He disclosed that two key areas of disagreement, salary structure, and consultant cadre appointments are currently under independent review, with an interim report already submitted.
“We are not sitting idly. Out of the 19 issues raised by NARD, most have already been resolved,” Salako said. “We are ensuring that any agreement reached will be fair, sustainable, and beneficial to all health workers.”
To strengthen the health workforce, Dr. Salako disclosed that the government recruited 14,444 health workers in 2024 and approved the employment of another 23,059 in 2025 across 78 federal tertiary hospitals.
He described this as part of ongoing efforts to address manpower shortages and improve healthcare delivery nationwide.
He further announced that ₦21.3 billion has been released to clear outstanding arrears and allowances, with about 60 percent of resident doctors already receiving payment alerts.
“Another ₦11.9 billion has been processed for payment this week, while ₦10 billion was earlier disbursed for the Medical Residency Training Fund to support professional development”.
To sustain essential hospital operations during the strike, Dr. Salako said the ministry has set up a taskforce to monitor services and ensure emergency and outpatient care continue.
“Consultants have been directed to maintain emergency and outpatient services,” he said, appealing for public patience as government works to restore normalcy.
While acknowledging the dedication of doctors, Dr. Salako urged NARD members to return to work in good faith, assuring that the Nigerian Government remains fully committed to their welfare.
“If it were possible, we would pay our doctors ₦50 million monthly,” he remarked. “No one can truly compensate for the service of a health worker, but we must operate within the country’s economic realities.”
He reaffirmed that the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare would sustain dialogue with all parties until a fair and lasting resolution is achieved.