The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has said it will begin an indefinite nationwide strike on November 1. NARD President, Mohammad Suleiman, disclosed this in a statement yesterday, saying the strike directive was issued after the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum earlier given to the Federal Government over unresolved demands. This latest action comes after a five-hour meeting of the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) on Saturday.

The statement reads in part: “The NEC has marshalled out minimum demands, strike monitoring directives, and ‘no work, no pay/no pay, no work’ resolutions needed for a successful execution of this action.” According to Suleiman, the decision followed the expiration of a 30-day ultimatum earlier issued to the Federal Government to address its demands.

“Today, after a five-hour extra-ordinary National Executive Council Meeting, the members of NEC have issued new marching orders to us once again. “The NEC has unanimously directed us to declare a total, comprehensive and indefinite strike action to commence on Friday, October 31, 2025 at 11:59pm.”

Suleiman said the National Officers Committee (NOC) has been mandated to ensure full compliance with the directive and to implement strike monitoring and enforcement measures across all centres. He added that the association’s centre presidents and general secretaries have been directed to convene emergency congress meetings to brief members on the resolutions.

“We have reported to NEC and NEC has decided. The NOC will carry out this directive to its letter and in full compliance. “NEC has also decided that centre presidents and general secretaries shall go back and call emergency congress meetings to brief members on the details there-in.

The NARD President accused some government and non-government actors of “evil and exploitative plans” against resident doctors, adding that the union will “collectively resist” such moves. He also called on members of NARD to use the next few days to hand over patients, engage community and religious leaders, and sensitise the public ahead of the strike.

The industrial action is expected to cripple medical services in hospitals nationwide, as resident doctors constitute the backbone of clinical care in the nation’s healthcare system. On September 26, NARD issued a one-month ultimatum to the Federal Government to address the lingering issues affecting the welfare and training of resident doctors and medical officers across the country.

Part of the grievances listed by the association are excessive and unregulated work hours, non-payment of outstanding arrears from the 25 and 35 per cent upward review of the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), and the unjust dismissal of five resident doctors from the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja.

The resident doctors also expressed frustration over the non-payment of promotion arrears to medical officers in various federal tertiary hospitals, as well as the failure of the government to pay the 2024 accoutrement allowance despite repeated as surances from the Ministry of Health.

They further cited bureaucratic delays in upgrading resident doctors’ ranks following the completion of postgraduate medical examinations, leading to non-payment of new salary scales and accumulated arrears.

NARD also condemned their exclusion from the specialist allowance provision, despite their critical role in providing specialist-level care to patients across the country. The association faulted the exclusion of medical and dental house officers from the civil service scheme — a policy it said denies them rightful salaries, professional recognition and career progression.