The Federal Government has clarified why it cannot immediately meet certain demands from the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), which have prompted threats of industrial action. Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Salako, explained on Tuesday that while the government remains committed to improving healthcare workers’ welfare, some demands are constrained by public service rules and existing schemes.
Dr. Salako highlighted that the government has introduced reforms, including an upward review of professional allowances worth about ₦90 billion annually, covering call duty, shift duty, non-clinical duty, and rural postings. He emphasized that a collective bargaining framework now governs negotiations with all health professional groups to ensure consistency and prevent disputes arising from conflicting agreements.
The minister noted that NARD’s demands had been reduced from 19 to nine items, reflecting progress in ongoing discussions. On the call for specialist allowances, Salako explained that resident doctors are specialists-in-training, and such allowances are reserved for consultants under current regulations. Extending the allowance could trigger similar requests from other specialist trainees, the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission has warned.
Salako also addressed concerns about certification delays, noting that the National Postgraduate Medical College does not issue certificates after Part I examinations, a policy the Ministry cannot override. Regarding the disengagement of five resident doctors in Lokoja, he said the action followed civil service disciplinary procedures, with a ministerial review panel recommending reinstatement, reprimands, and fresh hearings as appropriate.
The minister assured that the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Ministry of Labour and other stakeholders, remains committed to continuous dialogue with NARD to stabilise the health sector and prevent disruptions to healthcare services. NARD represents resident doctors undergoing postgraduate training in teaching hospitals nationwide and frequently engages in industrial action over pay, working conditions, and timely allowances.
